BV 




Converts THelper 

l&rpositor 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Chap. Copyright No. - 



Shelf 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



:| 



THE 

CONVERT'S HELPER 

AND 

EXPOSITOR 



J 

BEY. HENRY RICHARD BENDER, D. D., 

Pastor 

Centenary IVIethodist Episcopal Church, 

Syracuse, N. Y. 



EATON AND MAINS, 
150-FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, 



55806 



>t Oorior#s« 



,K, tOPttS KECEitfED 

OCT 3 1900 

C«|>yrigM tntry 

SECOND COPY. 
0RDE8 DIVISION, 

_&EC_2aLi9Q0L 






PREFACE. 



This book has grown out of the author's courses of 
instruction to converts and probationers. It is published in 
response to repeated requests, and as an aid to its author, in 
his personal work. Our Probationer's Manuals wait until 
the convert has given his name to the Church. This expo- 
sition is designed for the convert, as a Counsellor and Helper, 
before and after he has joined the Church. Converts who 
have prejudices against the Church, or against our proba- 
tionary system, or to whom our "Articles of Religion" 
seem to be relics of antiquity, because neither their histor- 
ical nor biblical reason for being are known, are too easily 
turned away from our altars, without even becoming proba- 
tioners of the Church. In these pages, not elaborate but 
definite statements of New Testament teaching, and of the 
historical and biblical grounds of doctrine have been at- 
tempted. Instead of simply giving Scripture references for 
the converts to look up, which I have been seldom able to 
get them diligently to do, I have introduced many of these 
passages in a related order, providing the references for 
verification only. 

To accomplish the best result, this book should be given 
to the convert, as a helping hand of Christian sympathy, at 
once, or before the temptation of the wilderness comes. 

H. R. B. 
Syracuse, N. Y. 

Sept. 1900. 



CONTENTS, 
i 

The Convert's First Temptation— The Devil's "If." - Page 5 

II 
The Shining Lamp For Dark Places. - - - 8 

III 

Should I Join the Church? - - - - . 11 

IV 

The Methodist Episcopal Church. 

(Historical Statement) - - - 14 

V 

Probation. __.-_.--- -18 

VI 
Articles of Religion. An Exposition. - 21 

VII 

Experimental Doctrines. - 69, 

VIII 
The General Rules. ______ j^ 

IX 
Baptismal Covenant. ______ 77 

X 

Reception of Members. -__--- -g 



Copyrighted September, 1900, 
by H. a. Bender. 
Syracuse, N. Y. 



THE CONVERT'S FIRST TEMPTATION— THE DEVIL'S "IF. 



One of the miracles of grace, repeated at every Chris- 
tian conversion, is the change of life and character wrought 
by the Holy Spirit. By regeneration, men become "new 2 cor. 5: 17. 
creatures ;" old things pass away, and all things become T J n - 5: 10 - 

Rom. 8: 16. 

new. "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the Gai. 4: 6. 
witness in himself." Gai.5:22. 

Upon our Lord's baptism, at the hand of John the Bap- 
tist, a voice from heaven said — ' ' This is my beloved Son, Mt. 3: 17. 
in whom I am well pleased." Mark says that there fol- 
lowed "immediately," the temptations of the wilderness. 
The Devil began these temptations by saying — "If thou be M *- 4: s - 
the Son of God," as though this were yet a matter of doubt. 
Many converts are early confronted with this same "If." 
The voice of pardon they have heard ; the witness of the 
Spirit they have received ; the spirit of adoption has suc- 
ceeded the spirit of carnal antagonism to the will of God, 
yet the temptation comes. At such times we have simply 
to do what Christ did, — fall back upon the Divine testi- 
mony. First, we should review the divinely attested facts 
in the realm of our own consciousness. We know that 
the Spirit that is at work in the children of disobedience 
has been succeeded, in us, by a spirit of Christian service. We 
may now know whether this service is servile, or filial; 
whether the spirit controling us now, is sensual or aspira- 



6 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

tional; whether the spirit of revenge has been succeeded 
by the spirit of forgiveness; whether impetuosity of dis- 
position has given place to a power of self-control; whether 
we still live in the realm of our carnal life, or have 
passed up into the realm of a quickened conscience. We 
know whether prayer continues to be the unaided petition 
of a beggar, or has become an inspirational agency that 
lifts us into communion with God. We must hold firmly 
to these truths we have gained, and from this point walk by 
prov. 4: is faith toward a clearer light; for "the path of the just is as 
r. v. Marg. a light of dawn, that shineth more and more until the per- 
fect day." 

In the second place, we must use the Scriptures as 
Christ used them. They are God's messages to us, as much 
as to our Fathers. Being like them in nature, we may be 
like them in inspirational living. Wherefore the inspired 
testimony is, "You did he quicken, when ye were dead in 
your trespasses and sins: wherein aforetime ye walked ac- 
cording to the course of this world, . . . .in the lusts of the 
flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and 
were by nature the children of wrath, even as the rest; but 
God, being rich in mercy, for the great love wherewith 
he loved us, .... quickened us; saved us; raised us up; 
made us to sit with Him in heavenly places in (Jhrist Jesus." 
"So then ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but 
Epii. 2: 19. ye are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household 

Rom. 8: 15 of God." 

Again — Having become "partakers of the divine na- 

2 pet. 1:4-6, ture," the Apostle adds — "Yea, and for this very cause, 

adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply 

virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your knowl 

edge temperance; and in your temperance patience; and 



Eph. 

R. V, 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 7 

in your patience godliness; and in your godliness, love of 
the brethren; and in your love of the brethren, love." 
"For if ye do these things ye shall never stumble: for thus 
shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the 
eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savionr Jesus Christ." 
"Be ready always to give answer to every man that asketh 
you, a reason concerning the hope that is in you." l Pet. 3 : 15. 

"Finally be strong in the Lord, and in the power of 
His might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may Eph. 6: 10. 
be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Our salva- 
tion is not to be that of the sheepfold, but of conquest. 
Our hope lies not in the strength of some exterior wall, but 
in the strength of an inward virtue. Not Christ beyond us 
as a Shepherd, now gives us the feeling of security, but 
it is Christ within us that becomes "the hope of glory." Our coi. i : 27. 
way becomes prosperous, not because the rivers are bridged 
over, and the mountains are laid low, but because the rivers 
cannot overflow the rising tides of divinity in our souls, and 
because the aspirational life refuses to grow weary be- 
neath the visions of transfigured glory. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 
II. 



THE SHINING LAMP FOR DARK PLACES. 



In every Christian life there are problems, the solu- 
tion of which, requires light from on high. To this end, the 
Bible is given as a divine revelation, to which, we "do well 
to take heed, as to a lamp that shineth in a dark place, until 
the day dawn, and the day-star arise in our hearts; " until hope 
takes the place of despair, faith the place of doubt, and 
the path of duty lies beneath the light of a cloudless sky. 

First. — Have a Bible of your own. Get a good one ; 
a book with large, clear type, and strong enough to endure 
hard usage. 

Second. — Read it daily. It may be that, in the morn- 
ing you have to hurry away early to some shop, store or 
office. In that case, take time to read some passage that 
you can carry with you during the day, as food for thought. 
At night select another passage as your companion for the 
night. You will be surprised at the light that such passages 
will yield. Not unfrequently they will break out of dark- 
ness like stars of the night, and reveal to you the glory of 
God. "Asa man thinketh in his heart so is he." The 
thoughts that we love and cherish so as to enthrone them 
in our afl'ectional nature are the thoughts that mould our 
character. Let us therefore get and cherish the thoughts that 
have descended to us by the Word of God. By seeing Him 
in His Word, as He is, we attain to His divine likeness. 

Third. — Remember that Christ is the Great Teacher. 
He teaches both by His words and His life, by precept and 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 9 

example. The Old Testament Scriptures culminate in Him, 
and the New Testament is an unfolding of His teaching. 
Your chief interest will thereby center in the four-fold gos- 
pel, about which the other Scriptures will stand in beautiful 
harmony. This recognition will have a tendency to prevent 
careless and miscellaneous reading of scattered chapters. 
Better read a book for a time. First, get the general pur- 
port of the book you are about to read. Is it history, 
prophecy, or poetry ? Is its object to impart facts, as a 
warning against sin, or to stimulate the spirit of devotion in 
acts of worship ? Read it with reflection until you get 
deeply interested, not only in its detached sayings, but in 
its entire motive and purpose ; until the current of divine 
inspiration that floated the book floods your own soul. 
To this end resolve upon owning a good Concordance and 
Bible Dictionary ; after that, other helps that will reproduce 
to your mind the times and conditions under which the 
books were written. 

Fourth — At times, study topics, such as — ' < The Love of 
God," "The Mercy of God," "Redemption," "Salvation," 
"The witness of the Spirit,"- — etc. 

Fifth — At times, it will be well to make collections of 
Promises ; to study their variety ; their richness ; their 
applications to human infirmities, and the conditions upon 
which they will yield their blessings to the children of God. 

Sixth — Mark passages that become of special value to 
you. They will become like lighted windows in the night. 
Your Bible will thereby grow in value to jour own life. 

Seventh — With an open Bible, reflect upon the texts 
and sermons that have been helpful to you. At times, 
write out these reflections, so that you may remember them 
for a month or more. 



io THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Eighth — Be sure to learn, or to fill the measure of 
discipleship before you become a critic. 

"The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and 
said, " Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without 
knowledge ? . . . . Where wast thou when I laid the founda- 
tions of the earth ? . . . .Hast thou eutered into the springs 
of the sea ? . . . . Have the gates of death been revealed unto 
thee ? Hast thou comprehended the breadth of the earth ? 
Declare if thou knowest it all." 

What we do not know may be the chorus of harmony 
that reverberates about God's throne. Let us not forget, 
therefore, that we are only Disciples. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 
III. 



SHOULD I JOIN THE CHURCH? 



Those upon the outside will say— " Delay this step 
until you have been established in the faith : have success- 
fully resisted temptation, and have proven your steadfast- 
ness." Think of Jesus sending his converts back into the 
world until they prove their fitness for the kingdom 
of God! 

I. In the New Testament the word Church means 
"an assembly called out." It may be out of the world, or 
out of spiritual bondage, into an association of freedom with 
God. The call is from God. The congregation is man's 
response. At your conversion you became one of the great 
assembly whom God "called out." Your name was regis- 
tered in the Lamb's Book of Life as one of God's "called," 
— first, into the assembly of the Church militant, to be 
followed by a call into the Church triumphant, which is 
without fault before the throne of God. The question of 
joining the Church resolves itself into the question of 
whether, having been called into Christ's militant service, 
you had better march to battle alone or march with the 
army. You will find ' ' the Captain of our salvation " with Heb 2 . 16 
the army; the banner of the Cross will go with the army, 
and the final shout of triumph will go up from the army. 

H. Paul defines the Church to be "the household Eph. 2. 19 
of God," in which "ye are no more strangers, nor sojourners, 
but fellow citizens with the saints." By your conversion 
you were called into this household, and received not only 
the fact, but also " the spirit of adoption" whereby you cried Rom . 8: lft . 



12 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Abba, Father. Now, what necessity is there for you to 
live, for a single day longer, out in the slave's quarters, 
when, by Divine grace, you have been made a member of 
the household ? 

Mt. 16: is. IIL Jesus said, "I will build my church." Jesus 

1. cor. 8: ii. laid the foundation, so that Paul writes — "Other foundation 
can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.'' 

Acts. i: i. "Jesus began to do," and left the progress of his work to 

the fidelity of his disciples. Upon this foundation Paul 

Eph. 2: 22. geeg the Church as God's living building, and says — "Ye 
also are build ed together for an habitation of God through 
the Spirit." Here is the congregational unit, of which we 
all are expected to form a part. 

Peter sees the Church as "a spiritual house," and 

i pet. 2:4, 5. Christ in it, as " a living stone, rejected indeed of men, 
but with God, elect, precious." Then he adds — " Ye also 
as living stones are built up a spiritual house." Your diso- 
bedience to the will of God here is dishonoring to God, 
and a sin against your own soul. 

Eph. i:2s. IV. Paul declares the Church to be "the body of 

coi. i: 24. Christ," of which the risen Christ is pre-eminently the 

Head. His argument is that as the head governs the body 

i cor. 12: 27. 80 tne r jg en Christ governs the Church. "Ye are the body 
of Christ, and severally members thereof." In these mem- 

l cor. 12:4-6. b erg there are "diversities of gifts," "diversities of ministra- 
r. v. _ p . 

tions" and "diversities of workings," but the same God work- 

eth all things in all." 
i cor. 12: 7. " To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit," not 

that these gifts shall stand out of and apart from the body 
(the Church) to be consumed upon themselves, or to wither 
and die, but that their use, in co-operation with the gifts im- 
parted to other members of the body (the Church), may 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 13 

result in profit to the entire body. You cannot therefore 

keep yourself aloof from the Church without loss both to 

yourself and to the Church. It is God's purpose "to make all 

men see what is" .... "the unsearchable riches of Christ" .... 

" the manifold wisdom of God" . . . . "through the Church." E P h - 8: 8 " 12 - 

By remaining apart from the Church you contradict this 

divine purpose. 

V. There is the visible and the invisible Church. 
The visible Church is the congregation of Christian wor- 
shipers, under the management of men as "Stewards of the ! Cor i: L 
mysteries of God " ; in which are observed the ordinances of 
worship; the teaching of God's Word; the administration of 
the Sacraments, and a ministry of helpfulness for all people. 
In the visible Church unworthy persons at times are found, 
although the greatest care is taken to prevent their entrance. 
The invisible Church is composed only of those whose 
Christian vitality makes them a part of Christ's living body. 
" I am the vine, ye are the branches." " Every branch in jn. 15: . 
me that beareth not fruit, He taketh away." As nearly aa 
possible the visible and the invisible Church should be the 
same. As the visible Church approaches this ideal , her life and 
growth finds expression with the music of spring time, and 
the gladness of harvest. Her law is not so much a law of 
external discipline as a law of aspirational achievement. 
It is written upon the heart and discerned by the awakened 
conscience. The church services are not tasks imposed by 
authority, but opportunities offered by divine grace, that, as 
members of the invisible Church, we may "bear much Jn - 15: 8 - 
fruit," and so retain our discipleship. Wherefore, if we 
ever need the visible Church's sympathies, or counsels, or 
sacraments, or prayejrs, it is at the beginning of our new life. 



14 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

IV. 



THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



(Historical Statement.) 

(By General Conference.) 

1900. 



The doctrine and spirit of Primitive Christianity have 
existed at different times and in different degrees in all 
branches of the kingdom of Christ among men. They were 
embodied in a new form on this wise : 

"In 1729 two young men in England, reading the 
Bible, saw they could not be saved without holiness, fol- 
lowed after it, and incited others so to do. In 1737 they 
saw, likewise, that men are justified before they are sancti- 
fied; but still holiness was their object. God then thrust 
them out to raise a holy people." 

This was the rise of Methodism, as given in the words 
of its founders, John and Charles Wesley of Oxford 
University, and Presbyters of the Church of England. 
Their evangelical labors were accompanied by an extraor- 
dinary divine influence; other Ministers and many Lay 
Preachers were raised up to aid them; and throughout Eng- 
land and in Scotland and Ireland arose United Societies of 
men having the form and seeking the power of godliness. 
These subsequently became the Wesleyan Churches of Great 
Britain. 

In the year 1766 Philip Embury, a Wesleyan Local 
Preacher from Ireland, began to preach in New York city 
and formed a Society, now the John Street Church. 
Another Local Preacher, Thomas Webb, captain in the Brit- 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 15 

ish army, soon joined him, and also preached elsewhere in the 
city and its vicinity. About the same time Robert Strawbridge 
from Ireland, settled in Frederick County, Maryland, preach- 
ing there and forming Societies. In 1769 Mr. Wesley sent 
to America two Itinerant Preachers, Richard Boardman and 
Joseph Pilmoor,and in 1771 two others, Francis Asbury and 
Richard Wright. The work thus begun was signally owned 
of God, so that, at the close of the Revolutionary War, the 
number of Traveling Preachers was about eighty, and of 
Members in Society about fifteen thousand. 

When the independence of the Uited States was ac- 
knowledged by the treaty of 1783, the American Method- 
ists, most of whom had been members of the Church of 
England, were, according to the express declaration of Mr. 
Wesley, ' 'totally disentangled both from the State and the 
English hierarchy." He added: "They are now at full 
liberty simply to follow the Scriptures and the Primitive 
Church, and we judge it best that they should stand fast in 
that liberty wherewith God has so strangely made them 
free." The parish clergy had mostly returned to England. 
The Methodist Societies were without ordained Pastors, and 
"for hundreds of miles together" were destitute of the 
Christian Sacraments. As his children in the Gospel, they 
appealed to Mr. Wesley for advice and help. 

He responded by ordaining the Revs. Richard What- 
coat and Thomas Vasey as Presbyters (or Elders) for Amer- 
ica; and also (since he preferred the Episcopal form of 
Church government) by setting apart, by prayer and the 
imposition of hands, the Rev. Thomas Coke, Doctor of 
Civil Law, and a Presbyter of the Church of England, to 
be a Superintendent, "to preside over the flock of Christ" 



16 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

in America. In these services he was assisted by other or- 
dained ministers. He also commissioned Dr. Coke to or- 
dain, as joint Superintendent with himself, the Rev. Francis 
Asbury, then General Assistant for the American Societies. 
Mr. Wesley also prepared "Articles of Religion 1 ' and a 
"Sunday Service," both abbreviated from the Book of 
Common Prayer of the Church of England. In the "Sun 
day Service" were included forms for the Administration of 
the Sacraments and for the Ordination of Ministers. 

At the "Christmas Conference," begun in Baltimore, 
Maryland, December 24, 1784, sixty preachers met Dr. 
Coke and his companions. The plan of Mr. Wesley was 
submitted to them, and was unanimously and heartily ap- 
proved. Thereupon they organized the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, and adopted the Articles of Religion and the 
Sunday Service prepared by Mr. Wesley, adding to the Ar- 
ticles one containing a recognition of the new Civil Govern- 
ment, and inserting in the Ritual a prayer for the Supreme 
Rulers of the United States. They also enacted all laws 
necessary for the government of the new Church. Mr. 
Asbury was elected to the Episcopal office conjointly with 
Dr. Coke, by whom, with the assistance of several Presby- 
ters, he was duly consecrated a Bishop. Other members of 
the Conference were ordained Deacons, and of these twelve 
were ordained Elders, two of them for missionary work in 
Nova Scotia and one for like work in Antigua, in the West 
Indies. 

Such was the origin of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
the first with an Episcopal form of government to attain an 
independent existence in the new Republic. While its pol- 
ity and administrative rules have from time to time been 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 17 

modified to meet changing conditions and opportunities, it 
remains unchanged in doctrine and in ministerial offices. 
Coeval with the Republic, it has expanded with it, and min- 
istered to its moral and religious life. At this date (1900) 
its communicants, not including adherents, number nearly 
two and three quarter millions. Other Methodist Churches, 
derived from the original root, flourish by its side. Obviously 
its founders were wise and godly men, fulfilling the purpose 
of the great Head of the Church. 

It has always believed that the only infallible proof of 
the legitimacy of any branch of the Christian Church is in 
its ability to seek and to save the lost and to disseminate the 
Pentecostal spirit and life. Its chief stress has ever been 
laid, not upon forms, but upon the essentials of religion. 
It holds that true Churches of Christ may differ widely in 
-ceremonies, ministerial orders, and government. Its mem- 
bers are allowed freedom of choice among the debated 
modes of baptism. If any member has scruples against re- 
ceiving the Lord's Supper kneeling, he is permitted to re- 
ceive it standing or sitting. In ordinary worship its people are 
invited to unite in extemporary prayer, but for the Admin- 
istration of the Sacraments, Ordinations, the Solemnization 
of Matrimony, the Burial of the Dead, and other Special 
Services, a Liturgy, much of which has been sanctioned by 
the universal Church from most ancient times, is appointed. 

The sole object of the rules, regulations, and usages of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church is that it may fulfill to the 
end of time its original divine vocation as a leader in evan- 
gelization, in all true reforms, and in the promotion of fra- 
ternal relations among all branches of the one Church of 
Jesus Christ, and as a co-worker with them in the spiritual 
conquest of the world for the Son of God. 



18 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

V. 



PROBATION. 



As a preparation for the obligations of full member- 
ship in the Methodist Church, Wesley, in harmony with the 
Apostolic Church,* decided that there should be a period of 
probation. The object was to enable the Society to become 
acquainted with the moral convictions, and real purpose of 
the candidate ; and to enable the candidate to become 
acquainted with the teaching and government of the Church. 
At first this period was fixed at two months. When these 
Societies in America organized the Methodist Episcopal 
Church in 1784, this period of probation was retained, but 
in 1789 the period was extended from two to " at least six 
months." 

The Church says — "There is only one condition pre- 
viously required of those who desire admission into these 
Societies ; a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to 
be saved from their sins." The General Conference of 1900 
said — " We receive all persons seeking fellowship with us 
on profession of faith into a preparatory membership on 
trial ; in which proof may be made, both to themselves and 
to the Church, of the sincerity and depth of their convictions, 
and of the strength of their purpose to lead a new life." 

♦Constitutions of the Holy Apostles. Ek vii Fee. 3. 

" Let him (the Catechuman) be instructed before his baptism in the knowledge 
of the unbegotten God, in the understanding of his only begotten Son, in the aasnred 

acknowledgement of the Holy Ghost, in the doctrine concerning oar Lord's 

resurrection ; his passion, his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension ; 

so that he may hate every way of iniquity and walk in the way of truth ; may 

live to God, as to his mind, and word, and deed." 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 19 

Accordingly the Church, through the Pastor, asks the 
applicant — 

Have jou an earnest desire to be saved from your 
sins ? 

Ans. I have. 

Will you guard yourself against all things contrary to 
the teaching of God's Word, and endeavor to lead a holy 
life, following the commandments of God ? 

Ans. — I will endeavor so to do. 

Are you purposed to give reverent attendance upon the 
appointed means of grace, in the ministry of the Word, and 
in the private and public worship of God ? 

Ans. — / am so determined, with the help of God. 

If he should contradict his Christian profession by an 
unchristian life, he may be " dropped," or continued on 
probation for a longer period, in the hope of amendment. 
He cannot be brought to trial, nor expelled from the 
Church until he has become a full member. This period 
by the Probationer should not be regarded as an embarrass- 
ment, but as an opportunity to study the doctrines, polity, 
motive and spirit of the Church, as a preparation for the 
vows of full membership. To attain to this preparation an 
attendance upon the various means of grace is as important 
as the study of doctrines and discipline. The Preaching 
service, the Prayer meeting, the Class meeting, the League 
and Social meetings of the church all tend to bring the 
Probationer into touch with the inspirational life and power 
of that brotherhood of which Christ is the Head ; the ' ' all 
and in all." 

During the period of Probation, if the candidate has 
never been baptised, he is expected to receive this Sacra- 



20 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

ment. Before its administration, the Church asks him the 
following questions : 

Ques. Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, 
the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous 
desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so 
that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them ? 

Ans. I renounce them all. 

Ques. Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, 
Maker of heaven and earth ; 

And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son our Lord ; 
and that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the 
Virgin Mary ; that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was 
crucified, dead, and buried ; that he arose again the third 
day ; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right 
hand of God the Father Almighty ; and from thence shall 
come again at the end of the world, to judge the quick and 
the dead ? 

And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost ; the holy 
catholic church, the communion of saints ; the forgiveness 
of sins ; the resurrection of the body ; and everlasting life 
after death? 

Ans. All this 1 steadfastly believe. 

Ques. Wilt thou be baptized in this faith '{ 

Ans. Such is ray desire. 

Ques. Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy 
will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days 
of thy life ? 

Ans. 1 will endeavor so to do, God being my helper. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

VI. 



THE ARTICLES OF RELIGION. 



Protestant Christianity attempts to save mankind, not 
by the sacraments of the Church, but by the teaching of the 
Word of God. "Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth 
shall make you free." "Go. . . .teaching them." For this 
reason the Church has attempted to furnish clear-cut inter- 
pretations of divine truth. 

The greatest day of the Preformation was June 25, 

° J ' D'Aubigue 

1530, when the Confession of Protestant Christianity was Bk. xiv., 
read before King Charles and the representatives of the 
Roman Catholic Church at Augsburg. 

This same spirit of religious inquiry had resulted in a 
spirit of religiondus indepeence in England. Henry VIII. 
was drawn into a difference with the head of the Church at 
Rome on the subject of his divorce from Catharine of Ara- 
gon. His hostility to the Pope induced him to give strength Bishop s 
to the spirit of the Reformation. In A. D. 1533 Henry Browae and 

r •' Williams' Ex- 

threw off the supremacy of the Pope and declared the inde- position 
pendence of his kingdom and of its Church. Cranmer was ^^ IX 
at the time Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry relied upon 
Cranmer to stear the course of the English Church. Cran- 
mer with the aid of Ridley issued a confession of faith in 
what was entitled, "The Bishop's Book." 

The King made a modification of this confession in 
what he termed "The King's Book." In it he restored 
some of the doctrines of the Roman Church which the 
"Bishop's Book" had discarded. During Henry's reign the 



Cranmer 
P. 198. 



22 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Bible was translated into English. This was followed by 
the translation of many portions of the church service. Dur- 
ing the same reign negotiations were opened with the 
German Reformers. Both Henry and Cranmer besought 
Malancthon to come over and help them. In 1538, with 
the aid of the German divines, Cranmer prepared a body 
of thirteen Articles of Religion, agreeing in great measure, 
with the Augsburg Confession. 

On the accession of Edward VI. who was favorable to 
the Reformation, greater changes were made. In 1548 
Cranmer and a number of select theologians were appointed, 
strype'e "by the King to draw an order of divine worship, having 

respect to the pure religion of Christ, taught in the Script- 
ure, and to the practice of the primitive Church." These 
men drew up the first "Service Book" of Edward YL, 
which "was approved by Convocation, and confirmed by 
both Houses of Parliament." 

The Calvinistic Reformers of the continent entertained 
many objections to the English Liturgy of 1548, and many 
English divines soon became eager to give it more decid- 
edly the spirit of the Reformation. Accordingly in 1552 
an order was given for a new Service Book. The king and 
his council greatly favored a change that should divest the 
Church of Roman superstitions. With a few important ex- 
ceptions the new Service Book is the same that the English 
Church now possesses under the name of the Book of Com- 
mon Prayer. The same year the king commanded the 
Archbishop to prepare for publication, "Articles of Relig- 
ion," which should be committed to certain bishops for in- 
spection and approval. After this they received the ratifi- 
cation of the king and the sanction of Convocation. In the 



Bishop 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 23 

preparation of these Articles Oranmer was chiefly indebted 
to the Augsburg Confession. Oranmer's chief assistant was 
Ridley. 

Under the influence of Archbishop Parker, the "Arti- 
cles of Religion" were recast. Some parts of the original 
articles were expunged and some things were added. In Browne'* 
this work, he, like Cranmer, was aided by Lutheran formu xxxix Arti- 
laries. In 1562 the Convocation after making some further cle9, p - 15- 
alterations approved the Articles, and they were afterwards 
published at Queen Elizabeth's command, and with her ap- 
probation. 

"In 1571 the Articles were again subscribed by both 
Houses of Convocation, and committed to the editorship of 
Bishop Jewell." They were then put forth in the form 
they now have in the Episcopal Church, and received not 
only the sanction of Convocation, but also of Parliament. 
Soon after this the Church required all members to sub- 
scribe to the Articles. " These Articles have ever since P ' 
been signed and assented to by all the clergy of the 
Church, and by every graduate of the Universities of both 
Cambridge and Oxford." "In providing for the organization Steven's 
of American Methodism, Wesley reduced the XXXIX. Ar- Methodism 
tides of the Church of England, to XXV., for the Meth- Vo1, n " p448 
odist Episcopal Church of America," 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

ARTICLE 
I. 



OF FAITH IN THE HOLY TRINITY. 



P. 19. 



There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or 
parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver 
of all things, visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there 
are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity, the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 

The historical reason for this article lies in the fol- 
b. andw. lowing errors : First: the opinion that "God existed in 
the form of a man, material, and with body and members 
like our own," Second : the more dangerous error of 
Pantheism, with its modifications. Brahmins, Buddhists, 
and Gnostics represent the different camps of hostility to 
the Christian faith. These taught that " God is everything, 

jones i: p. 252. an(J everything is God." "Distinct personality of the 
Godhead is lost." " Everything you see is God." Third : 
the denial of the divinity of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. 

b p b. and w. << ^he m y 8 t e ry of the Trinity early became the funda- 

mental doctrine of Christian faith." A distinct acknowledge- 
ment of the doctrine of the Trinity by the Apostolic Fathers 
has been clearly set forth by Bishop Pearson. This doctrine 
involves a declaration of the Divinity of Christ, which the 
church continues to declare. Wherefore the Church says : — 

•'There is but one living and true God," 

The Scriptures say — 
Dented. "Hear O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord." 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 25 

" The Lord He is God, and there is none else beside him.'' Dent. 4: 85. 
" There is none other God but one." " To us there is but ICor - 8: *- 8 - 
one God." "Thou believest that God is one, thou doest R . v . 
well." 

" The Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and Jer 10: 10. 
Xing of eternity." "Trust in the living God." "We i T im.6:i7. 
trust in the living God." "My soul thirsteth for God, for ITim<: 10 
the liviDg God." "Ye turned to God from idols to serve the Psa - 42: B - 
living and true God." "This is life eternal that they might iTh. i: 9, 
know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou Ja°- n-. 3. 
hast sent." 

Everlasting, without body or parts, 

"From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God." Ps . 90: 2. 
" Thou O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer ; Thy name 
is from everlasting." " Now unto the King, eternal, Isa 63: 16 ' 
immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory 
for ever and ever. " 1 Tim - 1: 17 " 

"Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves ; for ye 
saw no manner of form, on the day that the Lord spake Deut " 4: 15, 16 ' 
unto you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire ; lest ye 
corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image in the 
form of any figure ; the likeness of male or female." 
" God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship 
Him in spirit and in truth." 1 "We ought not to think that Jno 4 - 
the Godhead is like unto ; gold, or silver, or stone graven Acts, n: 29. 
by art and man's device." K ead ps. 115, 

Ps. 135. 

Of Infinite power, wisdom and goodness; 

"The Lord appeared ,to Abram, and said unto him, Gen - 17: h 
I am the Almighty God.'" "Ah, Lord God ; behold thou 



Jer. 82: IT. 



26 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

hast made the heaven and the earth, by thy great power, 
and out-stretched arm, and there is nothing too hard for 

jer.w:27. Thee. " ' ' Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh ; 

Mt. 19:28. Is there anything too hard for me?" "Jesus said, with 
men this is impossible ; but with God all things are possible." 

Re*. 19: 6. << The Lord God omnipotent reigneth." 

1 sam. 2: 3. " The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions 

are weighed." "Thou, even thou only, knowestthe hearts 
of all the children of men." " For His eyes are upon the 

job 84: 21. ways of man, and He seeth all his goings." 

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the 
evil and the good." "Can anv hide himself in secret 

Jer. 23: 24. 

places that I shall not see him \ saith the Lord." " Known 

Act*. 16: is. unto God are all his works from the beginning of the 

world." " O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom 

Rom. 11: 88. 

and knowledge of God." 

"The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering 

and abundant in goodness and truth." "I am the Lord 
1 sam. 2: 2. yo ur God . . . . ye shall be holy, for I am holy." "There is 
isa. 6- 3 none holy as the Lord." "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of 

hosts." "Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and for- 
Rom. 2: 4. bearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness 

ijn. 4: 8. of God leadeth thee to repentance?" "God is love." 

The Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and in- 
visible. 



Em. 84: 6. 
Lev. 11: 44. 



Gen. 1: 1. 



"In the beginning God created the heaven and the 

earth. " ' 'O Lord God of Israel Thou hast made heaven 

2 k. 19 : 15. an( j earth." "The Word was God, .... All things were made 
]m. i. i-s. by Him, and without Him, was not anything made that was 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 27 

made." "I declare unto you God that made the world, 
and all things therein." "For by Him were all things ere- Actsrr 28,24. 
ated, that are in heaven and that are in the earth, visible coi.i:i«. 
and invisible." 

"The kingdom is the Lord's, and He is the governor 
among the nations." "He shall feed his flock like a shep- Ps - 22: 28 - 
herd ; He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry isa. 40: 11. 
them in his bosom." "If God so clothe the grass of the 
field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, Mt. 6: 30. 
shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith ? " 
"Are not two sparrrows sold for a farthing? and one of 
them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." 
"Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many Mt - 10: 29 - 81 - 
sparrows." 

And in the unity of this Godhead there are three per- 
sons, of one substance, power and eternity the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 

Jesus says — "After this manner pray ye, 'Our Father, Mt 6 . 9 
which art in heaven,'" Jesus again says — "It is my 
Father that honoreth me, of whom ye say, that he is your Ja- 8: 54. 
God." In his prayer to the Father, Jesus says — "This is 
life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God." Jn> 17 . 8 
"There is. . . .one God, and Father of all." "To us there Eph . 4: e. 
is one God, the Father, . . . .and one Lord Jesus Christ." 1 cor. 8: 6. 

Christ is God. 

"Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given ; and 
the government shall be on his shoulder ; and his name i sa . 9: 6. 
shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, 
the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." "And 
they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being inter- Mt - * : 23 < 



28 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

preted is, God with us." "Unto you is born this day, in 

the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord." 

"The Word was God," "And the Word was made flesh 

jno. i: l, 14. and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory 

as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and 

coi. 2:9. truth." In him (Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the 

Godhead bodily." "God was manifest in the flesh, justi- 

i Tim. 3: 16. fied in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, 

believed on in the world, received up into glory." Upon 

his recognition of Jesus after his resurrection, Thomas ex- 

jn. 20: 28. claimed — "My Lord and my God." Wherefore, "To the 

jude 25. only God, our Saviour be glory, majesty, dominion 

Rv " and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore." 

The Holy Gho»t is God. 

Jn , 4: 2 4. "God iB a Spirit." 

Ananias and Sapphira lied "to the Holy Ghost," and 
Acts 5: i-4. Peter said, "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." 
i cor. 3: 16. "Ye are the temple of God," "Know ye not that your 
i cor. 6:19. body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost." We are con- 
jn. 16: 8. victed of sin by the Holy Ghost ; regenerated by the Holy 

jn 16- if' Ghost ; taught by the Holy Ghost ; led and empowered 

Acts i: 8. by t h e B_o\j Ghost. Sin against the Holy Ghost is so 

great that, although blasphemy of all other kinds is par- 
donable, yet blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is unpar- 
Mt. 12: si. donable. 

On account of "the unity of this Godhead," Jesus 
says — "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing 
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost." 



Mt. 28- 19. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 29 

ARTICLE 
IL 



OFTHE WORD, OR SON OF GOD, WHO WAS MADE VERY MAN. 



The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, 
of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the 
ble99ed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, 
the Godhead and Manhood, ware joined together in one person, never 
to be divjded ; whereof is one Christ, very God and very Man, who truly 
suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to u*, 
and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for the actual 
sins of men. 

This article reasserts the divinity of Christ, and then 
advances the teaching of the Church as to the incarnation, 
and the import of his sufferings and death. One error that 
called for this article was that Christ was only a man and 
not God; the other was that Christ was God and not man; 
that his body was a phantom and not flesh; that he did not 
take on human nature, and that he suffered in appearance 
only. This is the church's declaration of the Divinity of 
the incarnate Christ against all forms of denial. 
The Angel said to the Virgin Mary — 
' 'That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be 
called the Son of God." Paul calls Christ "the image of Luke i: 35. 
the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature," ("of 
all creation," E.. V.) By the apostle John, he is called, coi. i:is. 
"the only begotten of the Father." "The Word was God." 
"The Word was made, (or became) flesh, and dwelt among v 14 

us." "He took not on him the nature of Angels; but he j°; \. ^ 
took on him the seed of Abraham." He was "Emmanuel, Heb.2:i6. 
God with us." *'Take heed to feed the Church of 



30 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Mt. i: as. God, -which he has purchased with his own blood." In 

Acts 20: as. his Divine nature God could have no blood to shed. It is 
only in his human nature that he can be said to have shed 
blood. 

Again he says — "I and my Father are one." "He 

jn. 10: so. that hath seen me hath seen the Father." 

His manhood appears in the carpenter shop at Naza- 
reth, in his weariness and pain, his hunger and thirst ; his 

jn. 4: o. physical suffering, his crucifixion and his death. 

jn. 20: 27. ' As a sacrifice for sin, Paul says — "God commendeth 

his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, 
Christ died for us." "Much more then, being now justi- 
fied by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through 
him." "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled 
to God by the death of his Son, much more, being recon- 
ciled, we shall be saved by his life." "And not only so, but 
we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by 
whom we have now received the atonement (Marg. recon- 
ciliation.") He is said to have been "led as a lamb to the 

isa. 53:6-s. slaughter." He is called "the lamb slain." "A lamb 

Rev. 6: 6. ° 

r.v. 13: 8. without blemish and spot." "The lamb of God which 

I Pet 1* 19 

jn. i:89. taketh away the sin of the world." "For if the blood of 
bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling 
the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh ; how 
much more shall the blood of Christ purge your con- 

Reb. 9: 13, 14. f b J 

science from dead works to serve the living God ? " 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

ARTICLE 
HI. 



OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 



Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, 
with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, where- 
with he ascended Into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge 
all men at the last day. 

We can scarcely exaggerate the importance of this ar- 
ticle. The Resurrection of our Lord is an essential fact 
to the Christian faith. The apostles bore witness with great 
force to the fact, and on its truth they rested their claim to 
be heard. Because Christ foretold it, its occurrence was 
necessary to confirm his statements. Because Christ is 
risen he is the hope of our resurrection, He is the Head of x Cor> 12: 27. 
the Church, which would be impossible if Christ be not 
risen. 

Wherefore Paul writes — "If there be no resurrection 
of the dead, then is Christ not risen; and if Christ be not 
risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also 
vain; yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; be- x cor. 15: 18-15. 
cause we have testified of God that he raised up Christ; 
whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not." 
"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the Mt - 17: 9 - 

' Mt. 17: 28. 

first fruits of them that slept." Remember Christ foretold Mark 8: 31. 

his resurrection, and that the disciples for a period of forty ^8*1*22!' 

days were witnesses of the fact; that he appeared to different Acts 3: 15 - 

men at different times, and by his intercourse with his disci- Acts 6: 82. 

pies confirmed them in the faith of the gospel. m^Vs-?' 

The Apostle to the Hebrews states that, in their daily Mark 16: ». 



32 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Lake 24: 6i. ministry, "the priests went always into the first tabernacle, 
accomplishing the service of God. But into the second 

Heb. 9: 6, 7, went the High Priest alone once a year" .... which was a 

ii,i2, figure for the time then present. ".... "But Christ being 

come an High Priest, by a greater and more perfect taber- 
nacle; not made with hands, . . . .entered once into the holy 

Heb. »: 24. place having obtained eternal redemption for us." "For 
Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, 
but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of 
God for us." As the Judge of mankind the Scriptures as- 

jn. 6: 22. ger t that "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed 

2 cor. 6:io. all judgment to the Son." Wherefore, "We must all ap- 
pear before the judgment seat of Christ." "He has been 

Aeu io: 42. ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead." 

ARTICLE 
IV. 



OF THE HOLY GHOST. 



The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of 
one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very 
and eternal God. 

Confusion comes from the common meaning of spirit, 
as ardor, enthusiasm, animation, courage ; and also as a 
word to define the temper or mental disposition, as cheerful, 
or gloomy, hopeful or despondent, determined or concillia- 
tory ; a force that more than any other reveals man's social 
character. In the Scriptures we find the term meaning all 
this, and in addition to the common meaning, has reference 
to a Divine Personality, — the Third Person of the Trinity ; 
with distinct offices in the church. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 33 

I. His Personality. 

Of the Holy Spirit Jesus says : "I will send Him unto j n . 16: 7,8. 
you, and when He is come, He will reprove the world of 
sin, of righteousness and of judgment." " He will guide 
you into all truth." " He shall receive of mine, and shall 
show it unto you." 

II. This personality is retained in those Scriptures 
that teach that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father 

and the Son. " The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, jno. u-. 26. 

whom the Father will send in my name." " Whom I 

will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, j n . 15: 26. 
which proceedeth from the Father." 

The Apostle Peter writes, < ' Holy men of God spake 
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," and yet this same 
apostle writes — "The Prophets enquired and searched dilli- 

gently what the Spirit of Christ which was in them 1 Pe t- 1: 10, 11. 

did signify." Paul writes, " If any man have not the Spirit 
of Christ, he is none of his." " God hath sent forth the 

Gal. 4: 6. 

Spirit of his Son into your hearts." "Through him (Christ) 

we have access by one Spirit unto the Father." «ph.2: is. 

III. The Holy Ghost is very and eternal God. 

Jesus says — " God is a Spirit." "Peter said, Ananias jn. 4: 24. 
why hast Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost ? 
Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Paul says — 
"Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah, the Prophet, unto 
our Fathers." Paul also says — "Know ye not that ye are 
the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in 1 cor. 3: 16. 
you?" " Know ye not that your body is the temple of the icor. 6: 19. 
Holy Ghost?" 

" The Lord is the Spirit." Jesus was asked by one of 2cor. 8: n, 
His disciples, "How is it that thou wilt manifest thyself R ' 



34 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

jn. M: 22,28. unto us, and not unto the world ?" 

man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will 
love him, and We will come unto him and make our abode 
with him." We conclude that the indwelling Spirit is truly 
God. 

ARTICLE 
V. 



THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR 
SALVATION. 



The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation ; 60 
that whatsoever i6 not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not 
to be required of any mau that it should be believed as an article oj 
faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. Id the name of 
the Holy Scriptures we do understand those canonical books of the Old 
and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the 
Church. The names of the canonical books are : 

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 
Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, 
The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of 
Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The 
Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, 
The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Preacher, Cantica or Song of Solomon, 
Four Prophets the greater, Twelve Prophets the le6s. 

All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, 
we do receive and account canonical. 

Christ found the Scribes and Pharisees placing the in- 
terpretations and traditions of the Jewish Church in author- 
Life and ity, upon an equality with the Word of God. Rabbi Eleazer 
Christ* °Geiki« na( ^ 8a id, "He who expounds the Scriptures in contradic- 
II: 206 - tion to tradition has no inheritance in the world to come." 
The Mishna declared that "the voice of the Interpreter (the 
Church) was more authoritative than the voice of the inter- 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 35 

preted, (the Word of God)." The Sanhedrin said — "It is a 
greater crime to teach against the words or ordinances of 
the Scribes than against the Scriptures themselves." 

It was to eorrect this error that Jesus asked — "Why do "studies n inthe 
ye transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" ufeofchrut." 
"In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the 
commandments of men; for laying aside the commandment 
of God ye hold the tradition of men. Ye reject the com- Mt. 15:3,9. 
mandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition." 
"Ye make the Word of God of none effect through your Mk 7 . 7 9 18 
tradition." 

In harmony with the Scribes and Pharisees, the Church 
of Home, by decree of the Council of Trent, 1546 A. D., 
declared, that, "besides the written Word of God, there is 
needed the unwritten word, i. e., Divine and Apostolical 
Tradition." The Reformation, out of which came the D 'Aubi gn e 

Bk. V. 

Protestant Church, is a re-assertion of the authority of the ch. v. 
Holy Scriptures. Luther said — "The Christian believer 
acknowledges no other authority than the Holy Scripture." 
The sufficiency of the Scriptures appears from the fol- 
lowing passages — "Ye shall not add unto the Word which I 
command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it." 
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." p » 19: 7 - 
"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eter- ja. 5: 89. 
nal life; and they are they which testify of me." "From a 
child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able 
to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in 
Christ Jesus. " "Every Scripture inspired of God is also 2 Tim - 3: 16 - 
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for in- 2 Tim. 3: 16-17. 
struction which is in righteousness: that the man of God 
may be complete, furnished completely unto every good 



36 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 



Jn. 20: 31. 



Bp. Williams 
Expositon of 
XXXIX Ar- 
ticles. 



work." In 8pite of this clear teaching the Reformation was 
greatly endangered by those who denied the necessity of 
obedience to the moral law of Scripture, for which they 
substituted "internal illumination." "Ye do err, not know- 
ing the Scriptures, nor the power of God." "These are 
written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the 
Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through 
his name." 

II. The canonical books are those Scriptures that have 
upon them the stamp of divine authority. The word canon 
means a line, or rule by which other things are judged. "It 
is applied to the tongue of a balance, or that small part of 
the scales which, by its perpendicular situation, determines 
the even poise or weight, or by its inclination either way, 
the uneven poise of the things that are weighed." It is ap- 
plied to the Scriptures as the infallible rule of our faith, in 
all things pertaining to a moral and religious life. 



ARTICLE 
VI. 

OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 



The Old Testament is not contrary to the New ; for both in the 
Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by 
Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both 
God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that the 
old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law 
given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites doth not 
bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be 
received in any commonwealth ; yet, notwithstanding, no Christian 
whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which 
are called moral. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EX POSH OR. 37 

This article finds its reason for being here in the errors 
it aimed to correct. Certain Gnostics tried to show that 
the Old Testament was contrary to the New. The Man- 
ichees taught a disrespect for the Old Testament. In b p . Browne's 
Great Britain, at the period of the Great Rebellion, the 
Puritans attempted to revive the authority of the Old 
Testament for their conduct in civil affairs, and as a guide 
for the administration of the commonwealth. Wherefore 
the Church teaches 

1. That "the Old Testament is not contrary to the 
New," and makes her appeal to both. Christ had 
reference to the Old Testament when he said — ' 'They Jn 5: 39 
are they which testify of me." "Think not that I am 

' , / . , , Mt.6:17. 

come to destroy the law or the prophets ; 1 am not 
come to destroy, but to fulfill." "All things must be ful- 
filled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the 
Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me." 

2. "In both Testaments everlasting life is by 
Christ." Peter has reference to the Prophets when he 

speaks of "the spirit of Christ which was in them." i Pe t. i: 11. 
Jesus says — ' 'Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my Jn 8 . 66 
day, and he saw it and was glad." "If there had been a 
law which could have given life, verily righteousness should 
have been by the law. " "The law was our school-master 
to bring us unto Christ." The Mosaic dispensation was a 
"shadow," "ready to vanish away." Its sacrifices could 
never take away sin ; could never "purge the conscience," Heb. 8: 5, 6. 
wherefore in Christ there was obtained "a more excellent 
ministry. " Peter declares that there is salvation in no other. Acts 4; 12 
"There is one God and one mediator between God and 
man ; the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom 



Gal. 8: 21, 24. 



38 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

iTim.2:6, e. f or all." Christ is declared to be "the mediator of a 

Heb. 8: e. better covenant ; established upon better promises. " 

Although the Old Testament is not contrary to the 
New, its dispensation was preparatory to the coming of 
the Messiah, so that its fulfillment is to be found in the 
Messianic dispensation. In Christ there is a transition 
from a temporal to a spiritual kingdom. Jesus says — 
"My kingdom is not of this world ; if my kingdom were 

jn.i8:86. f fafe WO rld, then would my servants fight." For this 

reason "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal." "We 
wrestle against spiritual wickedness." "Ye are built up a 

Eph. 6: 12. spiritual house ; an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual 
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Wherefore 
Paul teaches that "the righteousness of the law" is "ful- 
filled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the 
Spirit." We must conclude that only the commandments 
of the Old Testament that are moral, and promote 

b h 6- 1 2 spiritual life, remain of binding force. Chief among 
these are the Ten Commandments. 

ARTICLE 
VII. 



OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN. 



II Cor. 10: 4. 



I Pet. 2: 6. 



Ex. 20: 1-17. 



Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the 
Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of 
every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, 
whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his 
own nature inclined to evil, and that continually. 

Pelagius was a Monk of English extraction residing at 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 39 

Rome, A. D., 410. He taught that the sin of Adam hurt 
only himself, and not all mankind. 

Calvin defined original sin to be " an hereditary 
depravity and corruption of our nature." In the controver- 
sies between Calvinists and Arminians, the former held "that b p- Browne. 
1 k 1 i » 1 Ex - xx xix. 

the corruption of man was so great that no spark of moral Articles. 

goodness was left in him ; that he was utterly and totally 
bad and depraved.. ..that there was no relic of what he 
once was, any more than in lost spirits and damned souls." 
The Arminians admitted the great corruption of man's heart 
and intellect, but maintained that some traces of his original 
nature remained ; that he still differed materially from evil 
and damned spirits, in having a natural conscience, and an 
appreciation of what is good and of good report ; that man 
was " very far gone," but not sunken into the depravity of 
damned spirits. 

" The Lord said the imagination of man's heart ° en - 8: 21 - 

is evil from his youth." "The Lord looked down from 
heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were 
any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone ba ' ' 

aside, there is none that doeth good, no not one." 

"The wicked are estranged from the womb ; they go astray 

as soon as they are born." "All we like sheep have l9a 58 . 6 

gone astray." 

Jesus says — " There is none good but One, that is God. " Mt - 10: 17 - 
' < Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom j» . 3.- 3. 
of God." "All have sinned and come short of the glory of Rom . 8 . 10 . 18i 
God." "The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is and23 - 
not subject to the law of God ; neither indeed can be ; so then 
they that are in the flesh cannot please God." "As in Adam Rom. 8: 7,8. 
all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." "By icor. 15:22. 



4o THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Rom. 5: 12. 0De man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and 

so death passed upon all men, for that (Marg. in whom) 

Rom. 5: 17. a || k ave gj^^,, u g^ Qne man > s ff ense death reigned." 

Rom. 5:18. "By the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to 

Rom. 6: 19. condemnation." "By one man's disobedience many were 

Rom. 5: H. made sinners." "Death reigned from Adam to Moses, 

even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of 

Adam's trangression." 

ARTICLE 
VIII. 



OF FREE WILL. 



The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he 
cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and 
works, to faith, and calling upon God ; wherefore we have no power 
to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace 
of God by Christ preventing (going before) us, that we may have a 
good will, and working with us, when we have that good will. 

Since by his fall, man is "very far gone from original 
righteousness" his powers for doing good amount to nothing 
without God's help. The favor of God is manifest in 
two ways. 

1. The grace of God prevents, * or goes before us 

r. v. to direct ; or to convict of sin, of righteousness and of 

judgment. Wherefore Jesus says — "No man can come 

jn. 6: 44. to me ^ exce pt the Father which hath sent me draw him." 

In the New Testament God is placed upon the aspirationai, 
and not upon the coercive side of our nature. 
This is a clear recognition of our natural weakness, and an 

* "Prevent" — the old meaning, now obsolete, is "to come" or "go before." 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 41 

expression of divine favor. "They that are in the flesh 
cannot please God." "To will is present with me, but Rom 8: 8 
how to perform that which is good, I find not." Rom. 7: is. 

2. God works with us for the ends of righteousness. 
"If any man willeth to do his will he shall know of the Jn 7 . 17 
teaching." "By the grace of God I am what I am." R- v ' 
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for icor. 15: 10. 
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of 
his good pleasure." "The Spirit helpeth our infirmi- 2 . 12 13 

ties." "I keep under my body, and bring it into sub- Ro m. 8: 26, 
jection ; lest that by any means, .... I myself should be a 1 cor. 9: 27. 
castaway." "I press toward the mark for the prize of the phii. 3: 14. 
high calling of God in Christ Jesus." In recognition of 
our personal responsibility, the Scriptures are full appeals Eph. 4: 30. 
to us as free moral agents. ' 'Except ye repent, ye shall n Cor - 6: L 
all likewise perish." " Grieve not the Holy Spirit." Gal ' 
"Receive not the grace of God in vain." "Stand fast in Lukei3: 3. 
the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." "Stir 
up the gift of God which is in thee." "If ye do these 
things ye shall never fall." 



42 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

ARTICLE 
IX. 



OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN. 



We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith and not for our own works or de- 
servings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most 
wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort. 

Universal conviction and divine revelation declare that 
man is living in a wrong, or abnormal relation with God, 
and ' 'justification" means that he is mercifully accorded a 
right relation. In his wrong relation with God, man was 
the victim of guilt and divine wrath, but, in the right rela- 
tion he is accorded the treatment of innocence and rectitude. 
The reformers of the Church in all countries, and through 
all time, have had to contend against the general conviction, 
that man could merit the favor of God by good deeds of 
his own; that by works of mercy, charity and self denial, 
man procured pardon for his sin, and acceptance with God; 
or that by sacrifices made in the name of religion man 
purchased the favor and blessing of God. The most direct 
path to light, is not through the controversal writings of the 
Rom 8- 10 Fathers, but through the more luminous passages of scripture, 
isa. 67: la "There is none righteous, no, not one." "As for thy works 

R v " they shall not profit thee." "For we are all become as one 

that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a poluted 
r % M: 6 ' garment, .... and our iniquities, like the wind, take us 

Rom. 8: 20. . away. " "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be 
justified in his sight." "A man is not justified by the works 



Gal. 2. 16. 



of the law.' 



Bible Die. 
Hasting^. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 43 

That it is equally impossible to purchase the divine 
favor by sacrifice appears clear. "Sacrifice and offering P9a - 40: 6 - 
thou didst not desire." "I desired mercy and not sacrifice." Ho - 6: 6 - 
The "multitude of sacrifices," "the solemn meeting," the 
"new moons," the "appointed feasts," all failed to bring isa. i: 10-15. 
man into a right relation with God. "The sacrifice of the Prov. 15: 8. 
wicked is an abomination to the Lord." 

"As fruits of a right relation, both sacrifices and right 
conduct are obligatory and pleasing to God; but as a means 
of establishing a right relation with God, the one is an 
abomination, and the other is utterly insufficient." 

"How then can a man be justified with God?" "Now job. 25: 4. 
the righteousness of God, without the law is manifested, 
.... even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Rom. 3: 21, 22. 
Jesus Ohrist, unto all, and upon all them that believe; for 
there is no difference." "Being justified freely by his 
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom 
God has set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his 
blood, to declare his righteousness through the remission of 
sins." "That no man is justified by the law in the sight 
of God is evident, for, the just shall live by faith." For 
further study, read Galations, Komans and Hebrews. The 
apparent contradiction between Paul and James disappears 
when we remember that Paul has in view man's entrance 
into a state of salvation, while James has in view the con- Jas 2 . 14-26. 
duct of the believer after he has entered this state. 



Rom. 3: 24, 25. 



Rom. 3: 4. 
Gal. 8: 1-2* 



44 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

ARTICLE 
X. 



OF GOOD WORKS. 



Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after 
justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's 
judgment ; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and 
spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively 
faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit. 

This article supplements the former article in order to 
clearly set forth the value of good works, and the relation 
they sustain to a Christian life. Meritorious works did not 
bring the thief on the cross into the favor of Christ, but we 
may presume that unmerited divine favor developed a dis- 
position for good works. Then following Justification the 
chief value of good works is subjective, and not objective ; 
>. e., their chief value is in the development of our own 
character, and not in their service to God. God could 
easily get along without them. Wherefore Christ directs 
his disciples to remember, that, after they had done the 
Luke 17: 10. things commanded them, they were "still unprofitable ser- 
vants, having done only that which was their duty to do." 
We must conclude that since the deeds of our discipleship 
leave us "still unprofitable "; and incapable of claiming 
any reward of merit, it is presumptuous in us to suppose 
jas. s: 2. that they can put away the sins of a Christian life. "In 

R ' v ' many things we all stumble." " If we say that we have no 

i Tno. i:8, 8 ^ n 5 we deceive ourselves." The blessedness. of our Chris- 
tian life is found, not in the merit of our conduct, but in the 
constant mercy and free grace of God. " Blessed are they 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 45 

whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute Rom - 4: 7< 8 - 

(count) sin." 

2. Good works that spring out of a life of faith, as 
fruit out of the vine are indeed pleasing to God, and have Heb 10 . ^ 
"great recompense of reward." u In Christ Jesus neither 
circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but Gai. 6: e. 
faith which worketh by love." " By grace are ye saved 
through faith ; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of 
God : not of works lest any man should boast. For we are Eph ' 2: 8 " 10 - 
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, 
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in 
them." The rewards of our Christian service we " reap in Hoseaio: 12. 
mercy," and not of merit. 

The crown of righteousness that awaits the faithful is 2 Tim - 4: 8 - 
the final merciful reward of a living faith, — a faith finding 
expression in good works, as distinguished from a bare and 
historical assent to truth. Here also the tree is known by 
its fruit. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and 
the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their Jas ' 1: 2/ 
affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." 
" To do well, and suffer for it, and take it patiently, is ,Pet - 220 
acceptable to God." " If ye love me, keep my Command- jn 1*: 16. 
ments." 



46 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

ARTICLE 
XL 



OF WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION. 



Voluntary works — besides, over, and above God's commandments 
— which are called works of supererogation, cannot be taught without 
arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare that they do not 
only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they 
do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required ; whereas Christ 
saith plainly, When ye have done all that is commanded you, say, We 
are unprofitable servants. 

The error that this article was designed to correct was 
that "a man may not only keep the law of God, so as to 
do all that is actually enjoined on him, but may be so full of 
the grace of God, as even to do more than God's law 
enjoins, and thereby deserve even more than his own 

Browne. salvation." "This excess of merit which was supposed to 

Ex. xxxix. rr 

Art. 2. be attained by some of the greater saints, formed a de- 

posit, which was entrusted to the Church, and which the 
Roman pontiff, the vicar of Christ, could for reasonable 
causes, by the power of the keys, unlock, and grant to the 
faithful, in way of indulgences, and for the remission of 
temporal punishment." 

Christ holds out no possibility for this "excess of 

Mt. 92: 87-39. merit," because he says — "Thou shalt love the Lord thy 

God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all 

thy mind ; and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 

"Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and 

ait. 6: 48. spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." "Be ye 

therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is 

l,slce it: io, perfect." "When ye shall have done all those things which 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 47 

are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants ; we 
have done that which was our duty to do." 

ARTICLE 
XII. 



OF SIN AFTER JUSTIFICATION. 



Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin 
against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable Wherefore, the grant of 
repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification: 
after we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace 
given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise again and amend 
our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned who say they can 
no more sin as long as they live here; or deny the place of forgiveness 
to such a9 truly repent. 

1. The Church teaches the possibility of falling into 
sin after justification, and after having received the Holy 
Ghost, and also the possibility of restoration to divine favor 
after such sin. 

The Lord's Prayer was given to Ohristiau disciples. In 
that prayer disciples are taught to pray for forgiveness, with 
the assurance that if we forgive men their trespasses our „ ,„ 

* Mt. 6: 14, 1 

Heavenly Father will also forgive our trespasses. 

We are also directed to pray that we be led not into Mt. 6: is. 
temptation. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, 
(trespass, R. V.) ye which are spiritual, restore such an one 
in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself lest thou algo 
be tempted." John is addressing the Ohureh when he 
writes, "If any man sin we have an advocate with the l jn. 2: i. 
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." "If we confess our i jn. i: 9. 
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." 



48 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

For the "afflicted" and "sick among 
rects that prayer be made by the Elders of the Church, with 

j a «. 6:i8-i6. the assurance that if the afflicted person "have committed 
sins, they shall be forgiven him." 

In his messages to the seven Churches of Asia, the 

&•▼. 8:21,22. risen Lord gives the church in Thyatira, "time to repent," 
and threatens punishment "except they repent of their deeds." 

i cor. io: 12. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 

2 Pet. 8: 17. "Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the 
wicked, fall from your own steadfastness." 

2. Of the sin against the Holy Ghost Jesus says — 

Mt. 12: si, 82. ' <A11 manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto 
men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not 
be forgiven." "It shall not be forgiven him, neither in 
this world, nor in that which is to come." 

ARTICLE 
XIII. 



OF THE CHURCH. 



The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men in 
which the pure word of God is preached, and the Sacraments duly ad- 
ministered according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of 
necessity are requisite to the same. 

In addition to what appears in Chapter II. we may 
merely add, that — 

1. "God hath set some in the Church ; first Apostles; 
i cor. »2: 28. secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers," after that persons 
with "diversities of gifts," in whom there is "the mani- 
i Tim. si 16. festation of the Spirit," for the profit of all. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 



49 



See Art. XVI. 



Paul also declares the Church to be < 'the pillar and 
ground of the truth." To the Bishop of the Church in 
Crete, Paul writes — "Rebuke them sharply that they may 
be sound in the faith." "Whosoever abideth not in the Tit, i: is. 
doctrine of Christ, hath not God." n jn. 9. 

2. Christ appointed two sacraments in the Church 
viz., Baptism and The Lord's Supper. 

"Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them." Mt - 28: 19 - 
"They were baptized, both men and women." Paul re- Acts 8: 12 - 
ceived his sight, "and arose and was baptized." "They Acts e: is. 
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Actsi9: 6. 

Of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper Christ says, ^ uke 2 * i»- 
"This do in remembranoe of me." icor. 11124,25. 

ARTICLE 
XIV. 



OF PURGATORY. 



The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardon, worshiping 
and adoration, as well of images as of relics, and also invocation of 
saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant 
of Scripture, but repugnant to the word of God. 

1. This Romish doctrine "arose in the third century." sc&aff-Herzog 
It is an invented system of primitive and refining sufferings 
by fire, for those who pass beyond the grave, through 
which it is said that, "even Peter and Paul" had to pass on 
their way to heaven. 

To the penitent thief Jesus said, "To-day shalt thou be 
with Me in Paradise." It is difficult to believe that Jesus ^ ukc 2g . 43> 



5 o THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

meant that both He and the thief had to undergo the re- 
fining sufferings of purgatory. "I heard a voice from 
heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead 
Rev. 14: is. which die in the Lord from henceforth : yea, saith the 
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours ; and their 
works do follow them." Paul writes — "For me to live is 

Phil. 1: 21. 

Christ ; and to die is gain." "The time of my departure is 
n Tim. 4: 7, 8. at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my 
course, I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up 
for me a crown of righteousness." There is no intimation 
of any intervening purgatorial fires. 

2. The- word "pardon" in this article has reference to 
the Romish custom of granting indulgences. For the 
ground of such proceedure see Ajt. XI. "Who can forgive 

i,uke 6: 2i. sins but God alone ? " "I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, 
and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my 

ps. aa: 5. transgressions unto the Lord ; and thou forgavest the in- 

iquity of my sin." "I, even I, am He that blotteth out 
thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remem- 
ber thy sins." 

3. Against the worship of images and invocation of 
saints the declarations of the Scriptures are abundant. 

Ex. 20:4, 6. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." 
"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them." The 

Bs. 32: 19-35. making of the golden calf as an object of worship brought 
upon Israel sore affliction. Hezekiah "brake in pieces the 

ii k. is: 4. brazen serpent that Moses had made ; for unto those days 

ijn. 5:2i. the children of Israel did burn incense to it." "Keep 
yourselves from idols." Under the same condemnation 
the Scriptures place the worship of angels. "Let no man 
beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 51 

worshiping of Angels." When John fell down before the 
Angel of the Apocoliptic vision, the Angel replied — "See 
thou do it not ; I am thy fellow-servant ; and of thy 

brethren ; worship God." 

Once, and only once, does the Bible give account of 
an angel asking worship for himself. In the wilderness 
this angel met Jesus and said — "All these things will I give 
thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me." "Then saith 
Jesus unto him, Get thee hence Satan ; for it is written, 
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only ehalt 
thou serve." 

ARTICLE 
XV. 



OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION SUCH A TONGUE AS 
THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. 



It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God, and the custom 
of the primitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church, or to ad- 
minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people. 

1. The custom of the Primitive Church was to ad- 
minister the Sacrament, address the congregation and make 
public prayers in a language understood by the people. 
Cyril gives an account of a responsive service which shows Cattch - ^yst. 
that the congregation took an intelligent part in the service. 

. Browne Bxpos. 

Cnrysostom and Hilary confirm the above. Justin Martyr xxxix. Arts, 
so describes the worship of the Primitive Church in his day, , „ 

r J ' Apolog. 1 P. 98. 

as to show that the reading of the Scriptures, the Exposition, 
and Exhortation were all understood by the people. Origin 
writes of his day, "Every one in his own language prays to ° ri 2 in c - Cel - 



52 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Browne, p. 579. God." At times, the Fathers tell us, as many as three 
languages were used in one service, in order that the people 
might understand. 

The Romish custom seems to have grown out of a de- 
sire of Rome to impose the Latin language upon her colonial 
subjects, and to make the language of the Church universal. 
2. If we turn to the Scriptures, this custom of Rome 
stands clearly condemned. " In the Church I had rather 
speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice 
I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an 
i cor. 14: 19 unknown tongue." " Except ye utter by the tongue words 
i cor. 14: 9, 27, easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? 
for ye shall speak iuto the air." 



ARTICLE 
XVI. 






OF THE SACRAMENTS. 



Sacrament6 ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of 
Christian men's profession, but rather they are certain 6igns of grace, 
and God's good will toward us, by the which he doth work invisibly in 
U9, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our 
faith in him. 

There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; 
that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 

Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, confirmation, 
penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, are not to be 
counted for sacraments of the Gospel; being such as have partly grown 
out of the corrupt following of the Apostles, and partly are states of life 
allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism 
and the Lord's Supper, because they have not any visible sign or cere- 
mony ordained of God. 



1 Tim. 3: 16. 



In loc. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 53 

The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or 
to be carried about; but that we should duly use them. And in such 
only as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or op- 
eration : but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves 
condemnation, as St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. xi: 29. 

In classical usage the word sacrament means oath; es- 
pecially a military oath. Strictly speaking, it is not a 
Scriptural term; but repeatedly occurs in the Latin (Yulgate) 
translation of the Greek word, that in English is termed 
"mystery." At the close of the second and beginning of Eph 1: 
the third centuries it came into use as descriptive of the 
sacred rites and ceremonies of the Christian Church. St. Rev. i: 20. 
Augustine defined them as "visible signs of an invisible 
grace." "A third mark insisted upon by Protestants was Schaff-Herzog 
that they must be instituted not only by the Church, but by 
Christ himself, and required of his followers in the New 
Testament." It was this Protestant requirement of divine 
authority that reduced the number of sacraments from seven 
to two. Chrysostom joins together Baptism and the Lord's 
Supper, as the two ordinances necessary to salvation, upon 
the authority of the following Scriptures — "Except a man 
be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God." "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of 
man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." J n - 6: 53 - 

Upon the value or efliicacy of the Sacraments the 
Roman Church taught that they were "in their own nature, Browne Ex. 
vehicles of grace, from the mere fact of their administra- in loc - 
tion," that "they convey Christ to the soul." Carelessness see both 
of administration, or lack of moral character in the Priest and* Browne^ 
could not destroy their saving effects upon the soul. 

It was this teaching that gave rise to "the elevation 
and procession of the host, in the Church of Rome," where- 
by Rome invited the adoration or worship of these elements. 



I«. 



in loc. 



54 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 



Mt. 28: 
R. V. 



18, 19. 



Mt. 20: 2t>-28. 



Faith in the saving virtue of the sacraments, was gradually 
substituted for faith in a risen and living Christ. 

As a contradiction of this error the Protestant Church 
denned the sacraments to be "Outward and visible signs of 
an inward and spiritual grace, ordained by Christ himself." 
"All authority hath been given me in heaven and on earth. 
Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing 
them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the 
Holy Ghost." "He that believeth and is baptized shall be 
saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." "Jesus 
took bread, and blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the 
disciples, and said, Take eat, this is my body. And he took 
the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, Drink 
ye all of it. For this is my blood of the New Testament, 
which is shed for many, for the remission of sins." "This 
do in remembrance of me." 



ARTICLE 
XVII. 

OF BAPTISM. 



Mt. 2S: 19. 
R. V. 



Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference 
whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; 
but it is also a sign of regeneration, or the new birth. The Baptism of 
young children is to be retained in the Church. 

The institution of Christian baptism dates from Christ's 
farewell command — "Go ye and make disciples of all 
nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Wherefore at Pentecost, Peter 
does not hesitate to say to the people, ' 'Kepent and be bap- 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 55 

tized every "one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the 
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Acte 2: 3S - 
Ghost." Jesus had said — "He that believeth and is bap- 
tized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be Mark 16: 16. 
damned." Christ was the first to associate the baptism of Jn . 8 . 5- 
water with the new birth. In the conversion of the Samari- 
tans to the Christian faith, the baptism by water was fol- Acts 8: 12-17. 
lowed by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. In the case of 
Cornelius the baptism of the Holy Ghost proceeded the Acts io.- 47. 
baptism by water. Here baptism became the outward 
sign, or seal of an inward grace. Having been received 
into the invisible Church, the Apostle's baptism is this new 
convert's reception into the visible Church. Paul defines icor. 12:27. 
the Church to be the body of Christ ; and adds "as many ooi. i : 18. 
of you as were baptized into Christ, did put on Christ." Gai. 8: 27 

In the case of Simon Magus, water baptism was a Col 2 . 10 . 12 
fruitless ceremony. Here we learn that a certain con- 
dition of heart was necessary to give Christian baptism any Acts 8: 13-21. 
value. The power to effect regeneration is not in the 
water, but is in the Holy Ghost. 

Justin Martyr (A. D. 144) writes : "I will also relate 
the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to God, when A nte-Nicene 
we had been made new through Christ." He then de- voi. h i. rs 
scribes the preparation of the converts for Christian baptism. Am. Ed. 
"Then they that gladly received the Word were baptized ; 
and the same day there were added unto them, about 
three thousand souls." ActB 2: 41 - 

It has been taught by the Church that a Convert who 
was martyred before his baptism was a member of Christ. 
His "baptism of blood," supplied the deficiency. "An 
unbaptized believer is like a testator who has made a will, 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 



Hastings' 
Bible Diet. 



Acts 10: 47 
R. V. 



Alford 
Gk. Test. 

in Loc. 



but has not signed it. He may die without signing it. 
If it is clear that he had full intention of signing, and was 
merely waiting for suitable witnesses, the will may be ac- 
cepted as a valid expression of his wishes. But if he has 
postponed the signature indefinitely the presumption is 
that he was not decided as to his intentions. It is the con- 
tempt of baptism when it may be had, not the lack of it 
when it may not, that is perilous." 

MODES OF BAPTISM. 

Among Christians three modes are practiced ; im- 
mersion, sprinkling and pouring. One believer hears his 
regeneration described as the fulfillment of God's promise — 
"I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh" and he desires 
to receive the sacramental seal in the same manner.. 
A second believer hears Paul talk about being "buried 
with him (Christ) in baptism," and he desires to receive 
the seal by immersion, A third is impressed with the 
ceremonial features of burial ; that when the Pastor at the 
grave sprinkles the earth upon the body saying, "Earth to 
earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust," the subject is cere- 
monially buried, and he applies the same principle to bap- 
tism. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye 
shall be clean." There are many people who cannot be 
persuaded that Peter had reference to a stream, or river of 
water, when, in the house of Cornelius he said — "Can 
any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, 
which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" * 
" The expression is interesting, as showing that the practice 
was to bring the water to the candidates, not the candidates 
to the water." 



Ante-Nicene 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 57 

The latest light upon this subject is furnished by a 
manuscript copy of " The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," 
discovered in 1873 by Bishop Bryennios in the library of 
the Jerusalem Monastery of the Most Holy Sepulchre at 
Constantinople. Bryennios and Harnack assign, as the date 
of this remarkable document, between 120 and 160 A. D. ; 
Helgenfield, 160 and 190, English and American scholars 
vary between A. D. 80 and 120. Chapter vii. reads — Father«.~voi 7. 

"and concerning baptism, thus baptize ye; baptize p- 379, Am. Ed. 

into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Spirit, in living water; but if thou do not have living 
(fresh) water, baptize into other water; and if thou canst 
not in cold, in warm. "But if thou have not either, pour 
out water thrice upon the head, in the name of Father and 
Son, and Holy Spirit." Here it is clear that an ap- 
plication of the water to the subject was permitted. 
The Methodist Episcopal Church holds that the virtue of 
baptism is not in the mode of its administration, but in the 
spirit and motive both of the minister and of the recipient; 
wherefore the convert may have his choice of any one of 
the three forms. 

INFANT BAPTISM. \ 

When the Jews, gathered at the Feast erf Pentecost, 
asked " What shall we do ?" Peter replied — '* Kepent and Ac. 2: 38,39. 
be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ 
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the 
Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you, and to your chil_ 
dren." In compliance with this exhortation we are in. 
formed of the baptism of whole house-holds, or families. It 
was of little children that Jesus said — " Of such is the 
kingdom of God." Since they are not denied a place in 



Ac. 16: 15, 
1 Cor. 1: It 



58 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

the kingdom of God, we stultify ourselves by denying them 
s-h. cycio. in a pl ace in the kingdom of grace. Schaff writes — "All 
baptism is in idea an infant baptism, and requires us to begin 
life anew, in a truly child-like spirit, without which no one 
can enter the kingdom of God." Browne writes — "The 
very helplessness of infants, is, in this case, their protection. 
We should remember, that God's gifts are expressions of 
His mercy, not of our merits, nor of our faith, nor of 
Browne Expo.. our 0De dience. The very thing that makes them 

xxxix. Arts, in J ° 

ioc. meet for pardon, is their helpless sinfulness. This is 

their very plea for mercy; and cannot therefore be the bar 
opposed to it. 

s.-h. cycio in ' ' Origen speaks of infant baptism as apostolic, and was 

himself baptized in infancy, (about 180, A. D.), Irenaeus 
(about 150) and Tertullian (about 190) confirm the testimony 
of Origen. 

Hist. b. ch. Dean Stanley writes — "The baptism of infants (A. D. 

337) no doubt prevailed, just as the communion of infants 
prevailed also." 

Concerning the custom of the Church in A. D. 338, 
Gibbon writes — " The Sacrament of baptism was regularly 

Deciina and administered ( by the bishop himself, with his assistant clergy, 
during the fiicy days between the solemn festivals of Easter 
and Pentecost; and this holy term admitted a numerous 
band of infants and adult persona into the Church." Where- 
fore, "the baptism of young children is to be retained in 
the Church." 



Ioc 



P. 315. 



Fall 
Ch 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 59 

ARTICLE 
XVIII. 



OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 






The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Chris- 
tians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a 
Sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death ; insomuch that, to 
such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread 
which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the 
cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ. 

Transubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and 
wine in the Supper of our Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is 
repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of 
a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions. 

The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only 
after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means whereby the 
body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is faith. 

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance 
reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshiped. 

There are four accounts of the institution of the Lord's 

Mt. 26: 26-28. 

Supper. "The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was M arki4: 22-24. 
betrayed took bread ; and when he had given thanks he i^ke 22: 19, 20. 
brake it and said, Take eat, this is my body, which is 1 Cor - 11: 23 " 25- 
broken for you ; this do in remembrance of me." 
"After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had 
supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood ; 
this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." 

The controversies of the Church have developed four 
distinct doctrines. 

1. The Church of Rome teaches that by the words 
of consecration the whole substance of the bread is con- 
verted into the very body of Christ, so as to be no longer 



60 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

bread but flesh ; and that the wine is converted into the 
very blood of Christ, so as to be no longer wine but blood. 
This miraculous conversion of the bread and wine into flesh 
and blood is termed transubstantiation. 

2. The Lutheran Church rejects transubstantiation, 
and teaches that "the body and blood of Christ are 
mysteriously and supernaturally united with the bread and 
wine," so as to be received with the sacrament. "The 
union does not depend upon the consecration of the Priest," 
but upon Christ's words of institution. Every celebration 
is a repetition of the first. "The meaning is not that the 
body and blood are corporeally present in the bread and 
wine, so as to be partaken of as so much material food, that 
enters into the system, but that there is a 'spiritual par- 

iyTio.' taking of the heavenly elements' in, with and under the 

bread and wine of the sacrament. ""Nothing depends 
upon the spiritual condition of the recipient." "He may 
receive the body and blood unworthily." 

3. The opposite extreme is a denial of a divine 
presence of any sort in this sacrament ; that it exists simply 
as a memorial, and should be administered as such. 

■i. A middle ground is occupied by the Article before 
us. It is that Christ honors this sacrament by a real 
spiritual presence. For this doctrine we are chiefly in- 
debted to Cranmer and Ridley. They taught that in the 
Lord's Supper Christ is by faith, spiritually present with us, 
and is our spiritual food and nourishment, far surpassing all 
corporal and carnal nourishment. 

With five loaves and two fishes Jesus fed five thousand 

men. The next day they followed Jesus, that they might 

jn 6.- 27. j> e a g am f ec [. when he exhorted them to " labor not for the 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 61 

meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto 
everlasting life," and using their reference to the manna of J°- 6: 31 . 32 - 
the wilderness, which they termed " bread from heaven," 
Jesus replied, " My Father giveth you the true bread from v - 35 - 
heaven." "lam the bread of life." "lam the bread 
which came down from heaven." " I am the living bread, 
which came down from heaven." "The bread that I will 
give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 
Many of the Jews replied; " How can this man give us his 
flesh to eat V When Jesus saw that this murmur of disap- v. ei. 
proval had extended to his disciples, he replied, "Doth this 
offend you?" "It is the Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh v - 63 - 
profiteth nothing ; the words that I speak unto you, they 
are spirit and they are life." Here in clearest language 
Christ gives a spiritual bread, and not a carnal body, for the 
spiritual life of the Church. 

ARTICLE 
XIX. 



V. 41. 

V. 51. 



V. 



OF BOTH KINDS. 



The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay People; for both 
the part9 of the Lord's Supper, by Christ's ordinance and command- 
ment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike. 

The doctrine of transubstantiation led to the belief 
that, inasmuch as the elements were really changed into 
flesh and blood, the bread must have blood in it, and on 
this account he who received the bread would, in the bread, 
also receive blood. To the Priesthood the temptation for Browne ex. 
withholding the cup was great, as it increased their power, 



XXXIX Arts. 



27. 



62 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

in the administration of the Church. This abuse of power 
never received the official sanction of the Church until 
A. D. 1415. 



Mark H: 23. ye all of it." "And they all drank of it." Paul gives 
instructions with reference to this sacrament to the entire 
congregation, when he says "Whosoever shall eat this 

icor. ii: 27-29. bread and drink this cup of the Lord." In obedience to 
these Scriptures, all branches of the Protestant Church 
restored the cup to the laity. 

ARTICLE 
XX. 



OF THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST, FINISHED UPON THE 
CROSS. 



The offering of Christ, once made, is that perfect redemption, pro- 
pitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both orig- 
inal and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that 
alone. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses in the which it is commonly 
said that the priest doth offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have 
remission of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable and dangerous deceit. 
The error against which this article is a protest, grew 
out of the doctrine of transubstantiation. When the Priest 
of the Roman Catholic Church had converted the bread and 
wine into the fleshly body and blood of Christ, he saw before 
him not merely a feast, but "a material sacrifice; and that 
the Priest thereby offers anew the body of Christ as a pro- 
canons of pitiatory sacrifice, not only for the benefit of the receiver, 
Trent ' hut also for the sins of the world; for the quick and the dead; 

for punishments and satisfactions. " 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 63 

"There was perhaps nothing against which the Re- 
formers generally were so strong in their denunciations, as bishops 
against this." Bishop Williams quotes Luther as saying — wuiiam. 
"Christ once offered Himself; nor did he will to be offered 
up anew by any; but he willed that a memorial of his sacri- 
fice should be observed. " Bishop Williams represent Calvin 
as saying — "God gives us a table where we may feast, not 
an altar on which the victim is to be offered." "He has not 
consecrated priests to immolate, but ministers to distribute." 
The English Reformers are no less emphatic in their protest 
against the Roman teaching. 

Not less clear are the declarations of God's Word. 
"Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands; 
but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of 
God for us; not yet that he should offer himself often, .... Het>. 9: 24, 
for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of 5 ' 6 ' 
the world; but now once in the end of the world, hath he 
appeared to put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself." 
"We are sanctified through the offering of the body of 
Jesus Christ once for all." "There is no more offering for H eb. io : 10. 
sin." "There reinaineth. no more sacrifice for sins." v - 1S - 

V. 26 

The sacrifices required of us are of a different character. 
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, Rom 12 . 1 
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, accepta- 
ble to God which is your reasonable service." "To do good He b. 13: 16. 
and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God 

1 Pet 2- 5 

is well pleased." "Ye are. . . .an holy priesthood, to offer 

up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 

"By Him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to Heb - 13: 15 - 

God continually." 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

ARTICLE 
XXL 



OF THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTERS. 



The Ministers of Christ are not commanded by God's law either to 
vow the estate of single life, or to abstain from marriage ; therefore it 
is lawful for them, as for all other Christians, to marry at their own 
discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve best to godliness. 

The requirement of celibacy on the part of Priests 
became the order of the Koman Catholic Church in the 
eleventh century. An exaggerated esteem for celibacy, 
on the part of the laity, added force to the rigid discipline 
of the Church. The Reformers were all opposed to this re- 
quirement of the Church. Although Luther was doubly 
bound to celibacy by his Monastic vows, yet he finally re- 
garded those vows as impious, and by his marriage ignored 
them. "At this day, the Eastern Church allows presbyters, 
but not bishops to marry; the Roman Church enjoins 
b p ». Browne celibacy on all ; the Reformed churches leave all to marry 
at their own discretion." Upon this matter the follow- 
ing Scriptures should be considered : 

"Marriage is honorable in all." "A Bishop then must 
be blameless, the husband of one wife." "Let the Deacons 
be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their 
own houses well." 



Heb. 13: 4. 
I Tim. 3iS. 

I Tim. 8: 12. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

ARTICLE 
XXII. 



OF THH RITES AND CEREMONIES OF CHURCHES. 






It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be 
the same, or exactly alike; for they have been always different, and 
may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and 
men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's word. Who- 
soever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely doth 
openly break the rites and ceremonies of the Church to which he be- 
longs, which are not repugnant to the word of God, and ars ordained 
and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, (that 
others may fear to do the like,) as one that offendeth against the com- 
mon order of the Church, and woundeth the conscience of weak 
brethren. 

Every particular Church may ordain, change, or abolish rites and 
ceremonieB, so that all things may be done to edification. 

This article is a protest against that power and author 
ity by which the Koman Catholic Ohurch forbade all 
churches alike, from retaining or adopting local and pe- 
culiar usages. Paul spake of the congregation gathered for 
worship when he said, "Let all things be done unto edi 40. 
fying." "Let all things be done decently and in order." 



1 Cor. 



66 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 



ARTICLE 
XXIII. 



OF THE RULERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



The President, the Congress, the General Assemblies, the Gov- 
ernors, and the Councils of State, as the Delegates of the People, are 
the Rulers of the United States of America, according to the division 
of power made to them by the Constitution of the United States, and 
Discipline by tne Constitutions of their respective States. And the said States 

M. E. Church. are a sovereign and independent Nation, and ought not to be subject to 
any foreign jurisdiction. * 

* As far as respects civil affairs, we believe it the duty of Christians, and 
especially of all Christian Ministers, to be subjeet to the supreme authority of the 
country where they may reside, and to use all laudable meaus to enjoin obedience 
to the powers that be ; and therefore it is expected that all our Preachers and 
People, who may be under the British or any other Government, will behave them- 
selves as peaceable and orderly subjects. 

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers ; 

Rom. is: 1-5. f° r there is no power, but of God ; the powers that be are 
ordained of God." "For rulers are not a terror to good 
works, but to the evil." "He is a minister of God to thee 
for good." "Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only 
for wrath, but for conscience' sake." "Submit yourselves 

i Pet. 2: 13-16. t eV ery ordinance of man for the Lord's sake ; whether it 

be to the King as supreme; or unto governors for so 

is the will of God." 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 67 

ARTICLE 
XXIV. 



OF CHRISTIAN MEN'S GOODS. 



The riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching 
the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. 
Notwithstanding, every man ought of such things as he possesseth, lib- 
erally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability. 

In every generation there have been devout Christians 
who have felt it to be their personal duty to relinquish 
their wealth, and to devote themselves to a voluntary pov- 
erty. The Mendicant orders of the Middle Ages are exam- 
ples. However, this is not the practice condemned by this 
article. It is a contradiction of those people who teach that 
the possession of any property is unlawful; that, by right, 
the goods of a Christian society must be held in common. 
They insist upon the action of the Christian disciples at Pen- 
tecost as a law of binding force even to the subversion of 
the Civil government, and the constituted regulations of 
society. 

To the Corinthians Paul writes "The parents ought to 
lay up for the children." "If any provide not for his own, 
and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied 
the faith, and is worse than an infidel." "Charge them that 
are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor 
trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, ... .that 
they do good; that they be rich in good works, ready to dis- 
tribute, willing to communicate." We are exhorted to lay 
in store as God prospers us, and then to give; to feed the 



Acts 2: 44, 45. 



2 Ccr. 12: 14. 



68 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Mt. 25: 35. hungry and clothe the naked; to do good as we have oppor- 
tunity; to distribute to the necessity of the saints and to be 
given to hospitality. He that hath this world's goods, is 
Rom. 12: 13. re q U i re d to come to the aid of his brother in need, not as a 
i jn. a-. 17. CIY1 ^ regulation, but out of the abundance of Christian sym- 
pathy. We are to give with cheerfulness; do good as we 
have opportunity, not of necessity, for mercy is better than 
sacrifice, and the ministry of love better than that of law. 



b. & w. 

P. 841. 



ARTICLE 

XXV. 

OF A CHRISTIAN MAN'S OATH. 



As we confess that Tain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian 
men, by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his Apostle ; so we judge that 
the Christian religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear 
when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be 
done according to the Prophet's teaching, in justice, judgment, and 
truth. 

"Against idle swearing ; swearing by the creatures, 
and perjury, the primitive Church was very severe." 
In the sense in which witnesses are put under oath, in our 
Courts, the divine sanction is not wanting. The High Priest 
said to Jesus — "I adjure thee (put thee under oath) by the 
living God." Our Lord consented to be placed under oath 
before the Jewish court. One such example is worth pages 
of argument. When therefore Jesus says, "Swear not at 
all" he must have reference to common conversation, that 
among the Jews had become grossly profane. ' 'Men verily 
swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to 
them an end of all strife." 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 69 

CHAPTER VII. 



EXPERIMENTAL DOCTRINES. 



I. Free Grace. 

"The grace, or love of God, whenoe cometh our salva- 

U'es'py, 

tion, is free in all, and free for all." It is free in all, ser. 54. 
as not depending "on any power or merit in man ; " nor 
"on the good works or righteousness of the receiver ; " nor 
"on his good tempers, desires, purposes, or intentions, for 
all these flow from the free grace of God ; they are the 
streams only, not the fountain." "They are the fruits of 
free grace, not the root." "It is free for all," although 
some teach that "it is free only for those whom God has 
ordained to life." "All others grow up under the irrevoca- 
ble curse of God, without any possibility of redemption." 
"This is the decree of predestination." Schaff says — 
"While Komanism and Lutheranism gave those only who of h chrfste r n- eds 
are brought into contact with the Church and the Sacra- 
ments ; Calvinism those only who are the elect from 
eternity, Methodism brings the opportunity of salvation to 

all men in this present life, if they do not incur the 

guilt of rejecting salvation by unbelief." "Hence all 
children are saved if they die before they commit actual 
sin." "Though born in sin they are not held guilty before 
the age of responsible agency." Wesley says, "I abhor the 
doctrine of predestination ; call it election, reprobation, or 
what you please, for all comes to the same thing." 

The following are a few of the passages of Scripture 
that Wesley uses : "The same Lord over all is rich unto 



dorn. 
Vol. I. P. 



7 o 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 



Rom. 10: 12, 13. 
Rom. 14: 15. 



Jn. 4: 42. 

IJn. 2: 2. 

I Tim. 4: 10. 
Heb. 2: 9. 

II Pet. 3: 9. 

Jn.5: 40 

Wesley 
Ser. 64. 



Watson's 
Institutes 
Vol. I, 
P. 217. 



Jn. 5: 40. 

Jq. 7: 17. 
R V. 

Watson's 
Institutes. 
Vol. I: P. 215. 



all that call upon him." "For whosoever shall call upon the 
name of the Lord shall be saved." "Destroy not him with 
thy meat for whom Christ died. " Wesley adds "a clear proof 
that Christ died, not only for those that are saved, but also 
for them that perish." He is, "the Saviour of the world." 
"He is the propitiation," not for our sins only, but also 
"for the sins of the whole world." "He (the livingGod)is 
the Saviour of all men." "He tasted death for every 
man." "He is not willing that any should perish, but 
that all should come to repentance." "Ye will not come 
to me that ye might have life." "No Scripture can mean 
that God is not love, or that his mercy is not over all 
his works ; that is, whatever it prove besides, no Scripture 
can prove predestination." "Pardon is offered to all who 
seek it, and the whole world may be saved." 
II. Repentance. 
Repentance is a divinely-wrought conviction of sin, in 
the realm of enlightened conscience. It manifests itself in 
contrition for sin ; in confession of sin ; in turning 
away from sin, and in humbly turning toward 
God. "He (the Holy Spirit; will convict the 
world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." 
That this conviction is not wrought by any "irresistible 
grace of God," appears from the language of Stephen — 
"Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart ; ye do always 
resist the Holy Ghost ; as your fathers did so do ye." 
"Ye will not come to me that ye might have life." "If 
any man willeth to do His will he shall know of the teach- 
ing." "The Holy Spirit awakens the thoughtless to con- 
sideration, prompts and assists their efforts to attain a 
higher character, and to commence a new course of con- 



I Jn. 1: 8-10. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 71 

duct." The language of repentance is, "I come to do thy 
will, O God." "Have mercy upon me, O God, according 
to thy loving kindness, according unto the multitude of thy 

tender mercies, blot out my transgressions cleanse 

me from my sin." "I acknowledge my transgressions." 

"Against Thee have I sinned." "If we say we have no 

sin we deceive ourselves." "If we confess our sins, He is 

faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 

from all unrighteousness." "If we say we have not 

sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." 

"Now when they heard this (Peter's testimony to the 

resurrection of our Lord) they were pricked in their heart, 

and said unto Peter and unto the rest of the Apostles, 

Men and Brethren what shall we do ? Then Peter said 

unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in Acts 2: 37,38. 

the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and 

ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." 

That repentance is wrought in the realm of en- 
lightened conscience seems clear from the following 
Scriptures : Had the sacrifices of the Law taken away sin 
"the worshipers having been once cleansed, would have Heb 102 
had no more conscience of sins." Christ was offered to R - v - 
"cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the jpv' 9:H " 
living God." Wherefore Paul says — "1 serve God with a nTimi:3. 
pure conscience." "My conscience bears witness with me Rom. 9:i 
in the Holy Ghost." Wherefore "The end of the charge 
is love out of a pure heart, a good conscience and faith 
unfeigned." 

Ill, Regeneration, or the New Birth. 

Wesley says — "If any doctrines within the whole 
compass of Christianity may be properly termed funda- 



V. 



I Tim. 1: 
R. V. 



See Art. IX. 



72 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

mental, they are doubtless these two ; Justification * 
and the New Birth : the former relating to that great 
wesiey. _ work which God does for us, in forgiving our sins; the lat- 
ter, to the great work which God does in us, in renewing 
our fallen nature." "The new birth is that great change 
which God works in the soul, when he brings it into life; when 
he raises it from the death of sin into the life of righteous- 
ness. It is the change wrought in the soul by the Spirit of 
God, when it is "created anew in Christ Jesus; " when it is 
"renewed after the image of God, in righteousness and true 
holiness;" when the love of the world is changed into the 
love of God; pride into humility; passion into meekness; 
hatred, envy, malice, into a sincere, tender, disinterested 
love for all mankind. In a word, it is that change whereby 
the earthly, sensual, devilish mind is turned into the "mind 
which was in Christ Jesus." 
jn 3: 7. "Ye niust be born again." "You hath He quickened," 

Eph. 2.1 "Which were born, not of blood, (aristocracy) nor of the 

jn. i: 13. will of the flesh, (heredity) nor of the will of man (resolu- 

tion), but of God." "If any man be in Christ, he is a new 
11 cor. o:i7. creature : old things are passed away; behold all things are 
become new." 

IV. Witness of the Spirit. 
Wesley says — "It more clearly concerns Methodists, 
so called, clearly to understand, explain and defend this 
sermon xi. doctrine, because it is by God's peculiar blessing upon them 
in searching the Scriptures, confirmed by the experience of 
his children, that this great evangelical truth has been re- 
covered, which had been for many years well-nigh lost 
and forgotten." 



THE CONVERT SHELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 73 

Wesley says — "There is in every believer, both the 
testimony of God's Spirit, and the testimony of his own, 
that he is a child of God." "By an immediate conscious- 
ness, you will know if your soul is alive to God; if you are 
saved from the pain of proud wrath, and have the ease of a 
meek and quiet spirit." "Your conscience informs you, 
from day to day, if you do to all as you would they should 
do unto you; if you do all to the glory of God." Now this 
is properly the testimony of our own spirit; even the testi- 
mony of our own conscience." 

1 1 The testimony of God's Spirit which is superadded .... 
is an inward impression on the soul whereby the Spirit of God 
directly witnesses to my Spirit, that I am a child of God; that 
Jesus Christ hath loved me and given himself for me ; and that XI 
all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled 
to God." 

"The Spirit so works upon the soul by his immediate 
and inexplicable operation, that the stormy wind and 
troubled waves subside, and there is a sweet calm, the 
sinner being satisfied that God is reconciled ; that all his 
iniquities are forgiven, and his sins covered." "If the 
Spirit of God does really testify that we are children of 
God, the immediate consequence will be the fruit of the 
Spirit, even "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, ° a 
goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance." "And how- 
ever this fruit may be clouded for awhile, during the time 
of strong temptation, so that it does not appear to the andxi 
tempted person, while Satan is sifting him as wheat ; yet 
the substantial part of it remains even under the thickest 
cloud." "Well then mayest thou say, "Thanks be unto 
God for his unspeakable gift." "Thanks be unto God who 



Sermons X and 



Sermons X 



74 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 



Rom 8: 16. 
K. V. 



Sermon 4o 
Par. 8. 



giveth me to "know in whom I have believed ; " who hath 
"sent forth the Spirit of his Son into my heart, crying, Abba, 
Father," and even now "bearing witness with my spirit, 
that I am a child of God." 

" The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, 
that we are the children. of God." " Because ye are sons, 
God hath sent forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, 
crying Abba, Father." 

V. Holiness, or Sanctification. 

Wesley writes- — "From the time of being born again 
the gradual work of sanctification takes place." In the 
instant we are born again ; born from above, born of the 
Spirit ; there is a real, as well as a relative change. We 
are inwardly renewed by the power of God. We feel "the 
love of God shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Ghost 
which is given unto us," producing love to all mankind, 
and more especially to the children of God ; expelling the 
love of the world, the love of pleasure, of ease, of honor, 
of money : together with pride, anger, self-will, and every 
other evil temper ; in a word changing the earthly, sensual, 
devilish mind, into "the mind which was in Christ Jesus." 

In the forty-fifth sermon Wesley says — "When we 
are born again, then our sanctification begins ; and 
thenceforward we are gradually to ' 'grow up in Him who 
is our Head." Paul writes — "We should be holy, and 
without blame." "Be ye holy in all manner of conversa- 
tion." "A Bishop must be blameless, not self-willed, not 
soon angry. . . .just, holy, temperate." "The very God of 
peace sanctify you wholly ; and I pray God your whole 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 75 

spirit, and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the com- ! Thess> 5: 23, 
ing of our Lord Jesus Christ." 



CHAPTER VIIL 

THE GENERAL RULES. 

It is expected that all Members and Probationers of the 
Church will evidence their desire of salvation. 

First : By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially 
that which is most generally practiced ; such as, 

The taking of the name of God in vain. 

The profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work 
therein or by buying or selling. 

Drunkenness, buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them, 
unless in cases of extreme necessity. 

Slaveholding; buying or selling slaves. 

Fighting, quarreling, brawling, brother going to law with brother ; 
returning evil for evil, or railing for railing ; the using many words in 
buying or selling. 

The buying or selling goods that have not paid the duty. 

The giving or taking things on usury — that is, unlawful interest. 

Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation; particularly speaking 
evil of Magistrates or of Ministers. 

Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us. 

Doing what we know is not for the glory of God, as : 
The putting on of gold and costly apparel. 
The taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of the 

Lord Jesus. 
The singing those songs, or reading those books, which do not 
tend to the knowledge or love of God. 

Softness and needless self-indulgence. 

Laying up treasure upon earth. 

Borrowing without a probability of paying ; or taking up goods 
without a probability of paying for them. 

It is expected of all who continue in these Societies that they 
shall continue to evidence their desire of salvation, 



76 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Second: By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after 
their power ; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible 
sort, and, as far as possible, to all men : 

To their bodies of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to 
the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are 
sick or in prison : 

To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have 
any intercourse with ; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine, 
that " we are not to do good unless our hearts be free to it." 

By doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith 
or groaning so to be ; employing them preferably to others ; buying 
one of another ; helping each other in business ; and »o much the more 
because the world will love its own and them only. 

By all possible diligence and frugality, that the Gospel be not 
blamed. 

By running with patience the race which is set before them, deny- 
ing themselves, and taking up their cross daily ; submitting to bear the 
reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and offscouring of the world; and 
looking that men should say all manner of evil of them falsely, for the 
Lord's sake. 

It is expected of all who desire to continue in these Societies 
that they shall continue to evidence their desire of salvation. 

Third : By attending upon all the ordinances of God ; such are, 

The public worship of God ; 

The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded ; 

The Supper of the Lord ; 

Family and private prayer ; 

Searching the Scriptures ; 

Fasting or abstinence. 

These are the General Rules of our Societies; all which we are 
taught of God to observe, even in his written Word, which is the only 
rule, and the sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 77 

CHAPTER IX. 



BAPTISMAL COVENANT. 



In presence of the congregation, the persons (other 
than little children) desiring baptism are asked the following 
questions : 

Quest. Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain 
pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and 
the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by 
them ? 

Ans. I renounce them. all. 

Quest. Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of 
heaven and earth ; 

And in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son our Lord ; and that he 
was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary ; that he 
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried ; that he 
rose again the third day ; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at 
the right hand of God the Father Almighty ; and from thence shall 
come again at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the dead ? 

And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost ; the holy catholic* Church; 
the communion of saints ; the forgivenes9 of sins ; the resurrection of 
the body ; and everlasting life after death ? 

Ans. All this I steadfastly believe. 

Quest. Wilt thou be baptized in this faith ? 

Ans. Such is my desire. 

Quest. Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and com. 
mandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life ? 

Ans. I will endeavor so to do, God being my helper. 

Then shall the Minister say : 

O Merciful God, grant that all carnal affections may die in these 
persons, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in 
them. Amen. 

Grant that they may have power and strength to have victory, and 
triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen. 
L.of Cr *The one universal Church of Christ. 



78 THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 

Grant that they, being here dedicated to thee by our Office and 
Ministry, may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlasticgly 
rewarded, through thy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live, and 
govern all things, world without end. Amen. 

Almighty, Everliving God, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus 
Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious 
side both water and blood; and gave commandment to his disciples that 
they should go teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the 
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; regard, we beseech 
thee, oar supplications; and grant that the persons now to be baptized 
may receive the fullness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of 
thy faithful and elect children, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Then shall the Minister ask the name of each Person to be baptized, 
and shall sprinkle or pour Water upon him (or if he shall desire it, 
shall immerse him in Water), saying : 

N., I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer, all kneeling. 

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy rarne. Thy king- 
dom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this 
day our daily bread : and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them 
that trespass against us : and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us 
from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for- 
ever Amen. 

Then may the Minister conclude with extemporary Prayer. 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 79 

CHAPTER X. 



RECEPTION OF MEMBERS. 



Form for Receiving Persons into the Church after 
Probation. 

On the day appointed, all that are to be received into the Church shall be 
called forward, and the Minister, addressing the Congregation, shall 
say: 

Deari,y Behoved Brethren, the Scriptures teach ub that the 
Church is the Household of God, the Body of which Christ is the 
Head ; and that it is the design of the Gospel to bring together in one 
all who are in Christ. The fellowship of the Church is the communion 
that its Members enjoy one with another. The ends of this fellow- 
ship are, the maintenance of sound doctrine and of the ordi- 
nances of Christian worship, and the exercise of that power of 
godly admonition and discipline which Christ has committed to his 
Church for the promotion of holiness. It is the duty of all men to unite 
in this fellowship; for it is only those that "be planted in the house of 
the Lord" that "shall flourish in the courts of our God." Its more par- 
ticular Duties are, to promote peace and unity; to bear one another's 
burdens; to prevent each other's stumbling; to seek the intimacy of 
friendly society among themselves; to continue steadfast in the faith 
and worship of the Gospel; and to pray and sympathize with each other. 
Among its privileges are, peculiar incitements to holiness from the 
hearing of God's word and sharing in Christ's ordinances; the being 
placed under the watchful care of Pastors; and the enjoyment of the 
blessings which are promised only to those who are of the Household 
of Faith. Into this Holy Fellowship the Persons before you, who have 
already received the Sacrament of Baptism, and have been under the 
care of proper leaders for six months on Trial, come seeking admission. 
We now propose, in the fear of God, to question them as to their faith 
and purposes, that you may know that they are proper Persons to be ad- 
mitted into the Church. 
Then, addressing the Applicants for Admission, the Minister shall say: 



8o THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR, 

Dearly Behoved, you are come hither seeking the great privilege 
of union with the Church our Saviour has purchased with his own blood. 
We rejoice in the grace of God vouchsafed unto you in that he has 
called you to be his followers, and that thus far you have run well. You 
have heard how blessed are the privileges, and how solemn are the du- 
ties, of Membership in Christ's Church; and before you are fully ad- 
mitted thereto, it is proper that you do here publicly renew your 
vows, confess your faith, and declare your purpose, by answering the 
following questions: 

Do you here, in the presence of God and of this Congregation, re- 
new the solemn promise contained in the Baptismal Covenant, ratifying 
and confirming the same and acknowledging yourselves bound faithfully 
to observe and keep that Covenant ? 

Ans. I do. 

Have you saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? 

Ans. I trust I have. 

Do you believe in the Doctrines of the Holy Scriptures as set forth 
in the Articles of Religion of the Methodist Episcopal Church ? 

Ans. I do. 

Will you cheerfully be governed by the Rules of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, hold sacred the Ordinances of God, and endeavor, as 
much as in you lies, to promote the welfare of your brethren and the 
advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom ? 

Ans. I will. 

Will you contribute of your earthly substance, according to your 
ability; to the support of the gospel and the various benevolent enter- 
prises of the Church ? 

Ans . I will. 

Then the minister, addressi?ig the Church, shall say : 

Brethren these persons having given satisfactory responses to our 
inquiries, have any of you reason to allege why they should not be re- 
ceived into Full Membership in the Church ? 

No objection being alleged, the Minister shall say to each Candidate: 

We welcome you to the communion of the Church of God: and, in 
testimony of our Christian affection and the cordiality with which we 



THE CONVERTS HELPER AND EXPOSITOR. 81 

receive you, I hereby extend to you the right hand of fellowship; and 
may God grant that you may be faithful and useful Members of the 
Church militant till you are called to the fellowship of the Church tri- 
umphant, which is "without fault before the throne of God." 

Then shall the Minister offer extemporary Prayer. 



OCT 3 1900 



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